


The Claim (A Rey of Jakku Story)

by Indi_August_33x (kerad0610)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Anchorhead, Biggs Cameo, Cannon compliant, Convergence, Gen, Grief, Jedi Temple, Lake Country (Naboo), Legends, Loss, Planet Coruscant (Star Wars), Planet Naboo (Star Wars), Post TROS, Storm Troopers (Star Wars), Tatooine, Undercity, lake house
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:48:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24920329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kerad0610/pseuds/Indi_August_33x
Summary: Rey struggles to reconcile her past and move forward after facing her grandfather, Emperor Palpatine, in battle. The rejection of her heritage and impromptu claiming of the Skywalker name has unintended consequences.
Kudos: 2





	1. Quiet of the Force

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey remains on Tatooine longer than expected.

They call her Skywalker, but that is not her name. In a haze of exhaustion and grief she blurted out the names of her two former masters as they briefly revealed themselves. Rey had thought they would speak, give her some hint of their intention but they simply smiled slightly before dissolving into an azure haze against the blinding desert sand. She was visiting an abandoned place that was not her home, a pilgrimage to lay to rest two cherished lightsabers, when an old woman and her beast suddenly appeared on the horizon. They exchanged pleasantries and then the old woman asked to know more. Rey had barely registered the woman’s question when the name Skywalker surprisingly left her own lips. The woman nodded, as if this response made sense to her somehow. It was a foolish reply but Rey didn’t bother to correct herself. She had no intention of staying long on Tatooine. In that moment it just seemed far simpler to say something, anything, to answer the question. The truth was far more complicated.

Rey hadn’t anticipated the exhaustion that took her as she turned to leave yet another barren desert planet behind. Tatooine reminded her so much of her home planet Jakku that she was suddenly anxious to leave. She didn’t remember falling to the ground but hours later she awoke in a long narrow alcove off an open courtyard in the cool underground homestead. Lars, the still air seemed to whisper to her. Lars? Was that Luke’s uncle, Lars Skywalker? During their time together Luke mentioned he had lived on Tatooine with his uncle. Though he never mentioned his name Rey surmised it must have been Lars. She could feel the name throughout the home almost as if it had its own Force signature. The presence was as solid the ground beneath her feet and the walls of the underground structure. Funny, she couldn’t feel Luke here though he had spent all of his childhood in this very place.

Rey raised herself to her elbows and glanced out into the courtyard. The woman was nowhere to be seen but her beast was standing placidly in the shade staring at her curiously as it chewed some kind of dark moss. What was that thing? She had never seen such a creature but it was clearly some tame beast of burden capable of shuttling people as well as supplies across the sands of Tatooine. 

A few small pieces of dehydrated meat and a glistening canteen had been placed on the room’s only furnishing, a long and sturdy wooden table. Rey called a hesitant “Hello?” but receiving no response she pulled herself to her feet. Immediately she was hit with waves of dizziness and she grasped for the canteen. With two large gulps she drank the entire contents and was still thirsty for more. Dehydration, she realized stupidly. It had been well over a year since she lived on Jakku and Rey had forgotten the most basic rules of survival in an unforgiving environment. Perhaps she thought the Force would protect her as it usually did. Here though, the Force felt different. She felt different. She supposed she was just tired. The past few days had been physically and emotionally grueling. 

BB-8 rolled up to her and let out an excited beep. 

“BB-8! I forgot you were here. What happened?”

A steady stream of bleeps and burps burst forth from BB-8 as he recounted what he had observed.

“Ola you say? Well, that was nice of her and her creature to bring me in here out of the sun.”

BB-8 squawked indignantly.

“Sorry, sorry, her eopie. I’ve just never seen one before. Where is this Ola?"

BB-8 told Rey that Ola had gone out at dawn to scrape some more moss from the rocks for the eopie. He hadn’t seen her for hours and thought her beast was thirsty.

“I have plenty of provisions on the Falcon. The least I can do is return her kindness and refill all of their water stores. I should probably check in with the Resistance as well. I’m overdue for my return. They're probably wondering what happened to me.”

***

“Rey!” 

Rose Tico was an absolute delight. Rey hadn’t realized how much she missed her friend until she heard the sound of her voice. With Rose she got to be Rey - not the strange and powerful Jedi, not the hope of the resistance, not the obsession of Kylo Ren - just Rey. It was so liberating. With Rose, Rey was an ordinary young woman supporting a cause she loved with people who were starting to feel like family. She knew it wasn’t quite that simple though. Without the Force, and all that came with it, Rey would never have found these people. She likely would not have survived her childhood on Jakku. Still, it was relief to pretend sometimes and being with Rose offered her that opportunity. Sadly, their time together was far too infrequent. 

“Where are you? We thought you would be back yesterday.”

“Oh, my errand took a little longer than I expected. I shouldn’t be another day or so.”

BB-8 interrupted with a steady stream of bleeps. 

“A moisture farm?" Rey asked, surprised. "Is that what this place is?”

“A moisture farm?” Rose repeated. “What are you doing on a moisture farm? You're not back on Jakku are you?”

Rey shot BB-8 a warning look before gently Force pushing him out of the cockpit.

“No, I’m just scouring for some special parts for the Falcon.”

“I know but Rey, I could have helped you with that! We've got plenty of spare parts in the Resistance scrap yards."

Rey almost confessed to Rose exactly where she was and her surprise claiming of the Skywalker name but she hesitated. It sounded so odd even to herself and telling Rose about it made it seem more real somehow, more alive. She had no intention of keeping it. It was nothing more than a silly blunder. 

“I know you could have helped, Rose. I think I just need some time on my own.”

“Yes, yes of course you do! Don’t feel like you need to rush back. There isn’t much happening here beyond the preparations for General Organa’s funeral. There is some talk about starting up peace negotiations with the remnants of the First Order but we’re not ready for that yet.”

Rey felt tears beginning to well in her eyes. “When is Leia’s ceremony?”

“Not sure, check back in the me tomorrow and I should have more information.”

“Will do.”

“And Rey? Just be careful, okay?”

***

When Rey returned to the homestead Ola still hadn’t returned. After placing her supplies in the dining area, she wandered around the space and found herself wondering what was behind the walls of sand that blocked most of the interior passages. More out of boredom than a sense of obligation, Rey tapped into the Force to dig out the courtyard. It was difficult work. Years of abandonment had left the structure filled with sand and desert debris, including a strange little skeleton. The Force felt sluggish here. Oddly, it was hard for her to manipulate. Normally the power of the Force flowed through her naturally, effortlessly, as if it were a mere extension of her thoughts. All she needed to do to harness that power was to concentrate on a specific task. Now power was slow to build and left her tired and drained so quickly. She took many breaks.

In the courtyard BB-8 was tinkering with what appeared to be a vaporator situated in the middle of the space. Sparks flew, metallic groans and clanks could be heard as the vaporator coughed back into life. BB-8 let out a squeal of triumph and zoomed around the room in celebration. The eopie was not impressed.

“Great job BB-8! I wonder long it takes to collect water? Maybe find something to capture the liquid for now? We can always give it to the beast.” 

BB-8 replied excitedly, indicating something about a pail on the other side of the courtyard. He found the object and quickly put it to good use. They watched in astonishment as a single drop fell into the bucket. 

“Is that all? I wonder how long this machine takes to produce enough water to sustain a home here?” 

BB-8 corrected her. 

“What do you mean only sixty-two more to go? This place has sixty-three vaporators? Just how large is this farm?”

BB-8 made a nonsensical reply before moving to an electrical panel in the wall recently unearthed by Rey’s efforts. A few more loud bangs and clanks and lights began flickering on throughout the homestead. BB-8 squealed again, another success! He refrained from doing his victory lap around the courtyard and zoomed off to tackle ascending the stairs that lead outside. He was much more adept at descending and Rey had to smile at his slow but steady upward movement. The little droid was so proud of his accomplishments. It seemed cruel to stop him, even if his efforts were in vain.

Rey returned to her task of clearing out the sand as the eopie peered into the bucket. 

“Not enough in there for you friend.” Rey muttered as she added water from her own stores to the pail. The eopie gulped down the water greedily while pointedly ignoring Rey.

A glint of metal caught Rey’s eye. The top of a door adjacent to the dining area peeked out from behind a tall, packed mound of sand. After making sure the Ola had not yet returned, Rey again harnessed the Force to clear the sand barrier. She lifted her arm and pointed towards the mound. Sweat formed on her brow and her head began to throb. Slowly, single grains of sand began to rise from the pile. Straining with effort Rey felt as if the Force was moving in slow motion. The air around her felt heavy, sluggish. She let out a scream of frustration. A pulse of energy burst from her, scooped up the sand and catapulted it out the opening of the courtyard. Rey sank to her knees and placed her face in her hands. What was happening to her? 

A squeal from BB-8 from above broke her reverie. 

“BB-8? Are you okay?” Rey called.

BB-8’s response reassured her that he was fine, if not covered in a layer of sand and very unhappy.

Rey allowed herself a sigh of relief and took a large gulp of water from her canteen. The sight of the now cleared door piqued her curiosity and she moved in for a closer look. Thanks to BB-8’s efforts with the electrical panel, the controls appeared to be activated. Rey pushed the control’s only blinking button and the door opened with a smooth whoosh. Rey descended a few stairs and found herself in a small but well-organized kitchen now flooded with light. It was eerie, almost as if this spot had been frozen in time. There had been some food on the counter but age and the desert heat dehydrated it to a crumbled mess. Shelves were neatly stocked with bowls, cups and eating utensils. There were plenty of provisions as well. The scavenger in Rey coolly assessed their value. It had been a long while since anyone had entered this space and the seals on many of the packaged supplies were unbroken. They could be of use. More out of habit than necessity, Rey pocketed a few.

There were cooking contraptions that Rey had never seen before in this well ordered kitchen. At initial glance they appeared functional and Rey had to suppress the urge to tinker with the circuits to try and get them working. It would be a useless endeavor; she would be leaving soon and the equipment would just return to its unused and abandoned state. Like BB-8 she seemed to want to fix this place and wasn’t sure why. 

What had happened here? Did the Skywalkers leave in a hurry? She closed her eyes and tried to feel an echo through the Force. The Force revealed nothing, it was so quiet here. Whatever had happened in the past was long over and forgotten. The ghosts of the departed Skywalker clan did not reside in this abandoned place. It was just a structure, with no more significance than the various rock formations that dotted the landscape. All the more reason to leave. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting but there was nothing here for Rey. 

The eopie made a low moo-like noise alerting Rey to Ola’s return. She left the kitchen mostly untouched and silent. Ola was petting her animal as Rey reentered the courtyard. 

“I’ve refilled your canteen and brought you another. Thank you for helping me.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble at all Rey. You looked so faint. I suppose it must be difficult for you to see your ancestral home in such shape.”

“My ancestral home?”

“Yes, you said you were a Skywalker? I assume you must be a relation of Luke Skywalker or Shmi Skywalker? They both lived here for a time. I will be nice to see this farm operational again. The Lars family were very good to those who lived in the area. Fair prices and honest work, for generations. Such a shame what happened to them.”

“The Lars family?”

“Yes, the original inhabitants of this farm. Do you not know of them? Of the history of this place?”

“Only that Luke Skywalker lived here as a child with his uncle and aunt. Nothing more.”

“Yes, Owen and Beru Lars. Such a shame what happened to them.”

“What happened to them?”

“You don’t know? Hasn’t Luke ever told you their fate?

Rey shook her head slowly. “Luke barely mentioned his childhood.”

“I suppose makes sense. Not the happiest of endings I’m afraid.” Ola leaned in and patted Rey’s hand. “This place has a history of tragedy.”

“Tragedy?”

“Well, not always. For a long time it was a place of solid production. But hard times hit with a long cycle of sandstorms that destroyed buildings, equipment, left the Owens destitute. Just as they were getting back on their feet the marauders came. Conflicts over resources broke out and left the elder Lars – Owen’s father Cliegg – crippled and several workers dead. Then Tuskan Raiders, Sand People, kidnapped and killed his wife, Shmi Skywalker.”

Voices echoed through Rey’s head, screams of pain and anger. Her face felt wet with hot tears. Rey reached up to touch her cheek but it was dry. 

“Then of course Owen and Beru met their sad end just out there in the yard.” Ola pointed through the top of the courtyard. “At the time no one knew what had happened but once we learned that young Luke was a Jedi it all made sense. The Empire was looking for him, even then.” 

“That is a very sad story.”

“It is. Such good people too! After what happened to Owen and Beru folk in these parts thought this place was cursed. It didn’t help when Darth Vader made an appearance, not long after young Luke blew up that Death Star. We all knew he was looking for the boy. He had those awful storm troopers interrogate creatures of all sorts in Mos Eisley, Anchorhead and any other settlements in the area. It was useless. No one knew where Luke had gone. Most of us thought he died with his Aunt and Uncle but to learn he was a Jedi! It was amazing. Those who knew him claim they weren’t surprised, that there was something different about him. It’s all nonsense. My parents and I knew Luke. He was just a regular boy, good at some things but not exceptional. Of course we all worshipped him anyway. It’s not often that someone from Tatooine makes such a name for themselves.”

“How long were the storm troopers here?”

“Not long, it was clear that no one knew anything useful. Vader watched this place for a long time though. There are those who say at night you can sometimes hear his mechanical breathing on the wind.”

Rey felt the hairs on the back of her neck stiffen. She could almost hear labored breathing. The wind had started to whistle and the eopie seemed restless. This wasn’t the ghost of Darth Vader or some machination of the force though; this was her imagination. It was so easy to get lost in the history of this abandoned place especially given what she knew of the Skywalkers. Rey pushed her unease aside and took a deep breath.

“I actually don’t think it’s in that bad of shape given it’s been abandoned so long.”

“I agree. I’ve grown to love this place. I stop here often when traveling from Anchorhead to open markets of the Great Salt Plain. Look what you’ve done here already! The lights back on, one vaporator operational and that little droid already working on another. This sad place was just waiting for someone to come along and restore it to proper use. Here you are!”

“Me? Oh, no, I’m not staying. I was just here to return something.”

“Return something? Here? Oh Rey, please don’t listed to a tired old woman! I’m so sorry if I upset you away with those foolish tales of Vader. Don’t be scared! I don’t feel any darkness here. Do you?”

Rey smiled at Ola. Someone warm and bright like her was just what this sad and lonely place needed to reclaim the homestead for what it was – a life sustenance source. Tatooine was certainly in short supply of those. Rey looked around at the layout of the structure. Underneath the sand and debris she saw careful planning, well-built rooms and felt a dim glow of hope. Someone once had cared for this place. Someone should again. At that moment Rey felt energy pulse from Luke and Leia’s buried lightsabers. What were they trying to tell her?

“No, I think any darkness that had fallen on this place is long gone. I – “

Rey was interrupted as BB-8 came crashing down the stairs.

“BB-8! What is it?"

The little droid squealed.

"A sandstorm! How close?”

Rey glanced up at the courtyard opening. The wind had picked up considerably. Tufts of desert debris were passing overhead. All that sand she had just diligently moved was starting to slide back into the structure. Why hadn’t she noticed before?

A look of fear seized Ola. She grabbed onto Rey’s arm with surprising strength. “Rey! We need to get behind closed doors. Now!”


	2. Ghosts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey has an unexpected visitor while stranded on Tatooine.

An older woman with a lovely smile and gentle eyes was laughing with a pretty younger woman as they prepared a simple meal in the homestead kitchen. Love once briefly filled this forgotten place. It radiated from the two women, infusing the room with warmth and a golden light. Something about the older woman was familiar. The tilt of her head, the way she listened intently, nodding encouragingly as the younger woman spoke. The women paid Rey no attention as she listened to their conversation from the shadows of the steps beyond the doorway. They seemed to have such an easy rapport. The interaction was full of familiarity and comfort. Rey’s heart ached for such a connection. In that moment she realized she was feeling lonely. She needed to get back to her friends, to the Resistance. Her time on this desert planet was dredging up long-buried, and very painful memories.

"Rey!”

Rey snapped to attention and realized she had fallen asleep while propped up against a wall. Someone had called her name but Rey realized that must have been part of her dream. She was in a large workshop of sorts. The women from her dream had disappeared and the reality before her lacked all trace of warmth and light. The admittedly depressing here and now was dark, cold and had the stale smell of things packed away and left to rot. She could barely see Ola’s sleeping form but for the flickering candles that lit the space. Outside the howling winds pelted sand against the blast doors. Sandstorms could last hours or days on Jakku. She could only assume the same would be true for Tatooine.

Hours earlier Rey and Ola had just enough time to grab their supplies and shuttle the beast and BB-8 into a large workshop before sealing the doors against the wind. The electricity cut out shortly thereafter. Ola tried to soothe her animal but the eopie was agitated. Thankfully he settled after they cleared a corner of the room for him to lay down. Clearing the space was difficult in the near dark but Rey illuminated her lightsaber long enough for them to work. Ola noted the saber with surprise and recognition but she did not comment and instead focused on the needs of her eopie. They could be trapped for days and a nervous animal in this cluttered space was the last thing they needed. Rey looked down at the commlink on her wrist. She could patch a message through the Falcon to Rose but to what end? The Resistance could not mount a rescue until the storm had passed and once that happened Rey was capable of getting them out of this homestead on her own.

Rose would be expecting to hear from her tomorrow and if the storm still hadn’t passed by then she would alert the Resistance. She knew her friends where worried about her and had found it strange when she did not partake in the victory celebrations after the battle in the Unknown Regions. She heard the whispers about her in the cantina and the control room. Something dark had happened to Rey, they said. She faced and defeated both Kylo Ren and Palpatine but returned seeming rather lost and sad. Rey could have told them the truth, that she didn’t defeat the Emperor all on her own. She could have told them about Ben Solo - his valor, his sacrifice. But she knew all they would see is Kylo Ren. There was no point in telling his story. At best, her friends would pity her naïve sympathy for a monster. At worst, they would fear darkness rising in her. Truth be told that was part of what drove her to Tatooine, the need to escape the whispers, the speculation and sideways glances. It was all so exhausting.

Rey shoved these distressing thoughts aside and with BB-8 inspected the workshop for anything that could be of use. Luckily, they found candles and a few sets of old linens that seemed to have been used as drop cloths and aprons. There were enough linens to make some bedding. No additional food was found but Rey doubted they would be in the workshop for long. For now, they had the supplies from the Falcon and Ola’s stores, not to mention the packets of dehydrated food Rey took from the Lars kitchen. They should be fine hunkered down here for the next day or so. Rey wasn’t sure about food for the eopie but the beast looked well cared for. If needed, he could probably go a day or two without food. They had plenty of water.

With her arms full of supplies, and BB-8 trailing after her, Rey carried her bounty to a workbench near the door. Dropping her supplies to one side she cleared the other and had BB-8 light the candles. She divided the linens equally between her and Ola but gave the older woman the softer materials. She delivered this bundle along with a lit candle and food and water stores to Ola and noted the dark circles under her eyes. Ola smiled gratefully at Rey and set to work pulling together a makeshift sleeping area close to the eopie. Rey set off to find her own spot in the workshop. In the dim light and with debris strewn across the floor the task was not as easy as expected. She used her lightsaber sparingly, well aware of the awe in Ola’s eyes every time it ignited. A small knot of unease was growing in her belly and she wasn’t sure why.

Sleeping space secured, Rey and BB-8 explored the rest of the workshop. BB-8 found some spare droid parts and together they started to sort the piles of scrap. Perhaps they could find some supplies for the Falcon, things were always breaking on her beloved bucket of bolts. Plus, if she brought back some new scrap it would lend credibility to her flimsy story. She knew Rose would never question her too closely but didn't like the thought of Rose speculating on her true intentions. There was too much of that happing throughout the Resistance already. Rey’s mind was restless and it helped to have a task on which to focus. She became so absorbed in her work that she lost all track of time. At some point BB-8 had rolled off into a corner to power down leaving only the dim flickering light of a candle to illuminate her work. With some many raw materials at her fingertips Rey felt a burst of creativity. These precious materials would find use on the Falcon! For Rey, there was something so soothing about finding things to build or fix. A consequence of her difficult childhood she knew, when fixing things was all she could do to make sense of the chaos and ruin around her.

“I was always happy around machines too.”

Rey whipped around but could see nothing in the dark. Ola and her eopie were sleeping soundly on one side of the room. She could hear them both snoring, one much more loudly than the other. BB-8 blinked dimly from the other side of the room. He was in rest mode trying to conserve his power and wait out the storm. When Rey glanced over at BB-8 he was almost undistinguishable from the parts that littered the workspace. Whomever had spoken, BB-8 had not heard a word.

“Maybe if I had just kept to the droids things could have been different. This could have been a happy home. I think about that often, even now.”

“Who’s there?” Rey whispered into the dark.

“Do you not recognize my voice? We have met once before.”

The hair on Rey’s neck started to stiffen, beads of sweat formed on her upper lip. There was something familiar about that voice. Memories of Exegol flooded her consciousness. Darkness, chanting and a cackle that she knew belonged to her grandfather all came screaming back to her. She gasped and sat back against the workbench for support. She was shaking.

“Who are you?”

“Someone who knows you.”

A soft azure light formed a few feet in front of Rey. It took the shape of a handsome young man in a hooded cloak and a scar above one eye. He looked at her warily and with what seemed like a sense of disappointment.

The force ghost sighed as he glanced around the room. “Are you the only one here?”

“Me and that woman sleeping in the corner.”

He took into the sleeping form and nodded to himself, seemingly lost in thought.

“Are you… Anakin? Anakin Skywalker?”

"I am," the apparition nodded. “You are not who I was expecting.”

“Who were you expecting? Luke? Leia?”

“You know my children well. Is that why you took our name Rey Palpatine?”

Rey felt her face flush with shame as she stood before the essence of the man her grandfather all but destroyed. All of his family was gone yet here she was - an imposter, a usurper, the final bloodline of the most evil entity known to the galaxy - in their home. Tears welled in her eyes. She had no right to this place, to the Skywalker name.

“I hadn’t meant to claim to be a Skywalker. I was tired, I’m not even sure I knew how tired, and when Ola asked it just popped out. I don’t know why I said it.”

“You said it because you were rejecting your dark origins. An understandable choice given your grandfather. But now you are here. Why?”

“I’m not sure. I only know that I wanted to honor the Skywalker legacy. Bring the sabers home.”

Anakin snorted. “Luke hated this place, even more than I did I think. Leia wound up a slave on her first and only visit here. Though that didn’t turn out too well for her captor I’m afraid.”

Rey could hear the pride in his voice. Whatever the story, it must have been interesting.

“I guess I didn’t know any of that.”

“I’d venture to say there is a lot you don’t know.”

“Are you trying to tell me something?”

“Is there something you would like to know?”

Rey frowned at Anankin. He was a maddening presence. There was something Rey was desperate to ask but she wasn’t ready for that conversation. She wasn’t sure she would ever be ready.

“Well Rey of Jakku, you are welcome to this place for as long as you want it. I don’t intend to return and it appears no one else wants it. Didn’t you know? The Sand People speak of a demon who haunts this place.”

“There is also talk of Vader.”

“Vader is gone.”

Rey suddenly felt self-conscious. Why had she brought up Vader?

“Where will you go?”

“Someday you will learn… not today.”

“I’m leaving too. There is nothing here for me.”

“No, I suppose not.”

They stared at each other in silence for a moment. Anakin was the first to speak.

“Always remember, Rey, where you come from is part of who you are. Your past does not have to dictate your future but you would be foolish to bury it completely. It can manifest in unexpected ways.”

“Are you saying I should find the rest of my family? My mother’s family?”

“I’m only saying that you can call yourself whatever you want but you are part Palpatine. It’s probably best that you acknowledge that, if only to yourself.

“A Palpatine and not a Skywalker? Is that what you are really trying to say?”

Anakin smiled. Rey was taken aback; he was quite disarming. Rey felt the prick for something familiar, something she would rather ignore.

“You take the name you also inherit the legacy. Is that what you really want?”

“I need a name.”

“Do you? Think of all those great names in the galaxy – Skywalker, Solo, Organa, Kenobi and, yes, Palpatine. Not such a happy end for most I think.”

Rey frowned. “Is that why you came for me? Is this some sort of warning.”

Anakin laughed. “No, Rey. I didn’t come here for you. I heard the name Skywalker whispered on the winds of Tatooine and was curious. So here I am.”

Ola coughed from the corner of the room. Startled, Rey turned to look at her sleeping form. She looked so small under the pile of old linens. Her breath rattled but she soon settled.

“That one is a descendant of the Lars family. That is why she likes this awful place.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

“Maybe she was uncomfortable sharing that detail with a mighty Skywalker. A Jedi no less! Which she now knows thanks to your waving your lightsaber around like it was something you see every day. It's not. And our coming did bring about the destruction of this place, not to mention the Lars family.”

Rey felt herself flush. Perhaps she should have kept the lightsaber under wraps. “I don’t think it’s so bad," she started. "And it certainly isn’t destroyed. At least not beyond repair…”

Rey’s voice trailed off as she found herself lost in her own thoughts. Anakin studied her momentarily, as if trying to decide something.

“Be careful which legacy you choose Rey. You are an agent of the Force but you are not beholden to it. Choose your own path. Write your own story.”

“But I don’t feel the Force. At least not as strongly as I once did.”

“And why do you think that is?”

“I don’t know. Do you?”

Anakin shook his head. “I'm afraid that is something only you can answer.”

Before Rey had time to ask another question Anakin’s form dissipated slowly into the darkness. She was alone with her thoughts and the howling wind as a single illuminated candle threw shadows across the wall.

It was a long time before Rey could fall back asleep.

***

“Rey! Where have you been? We were starting to worry about you!”

Rey smiled at the sound of Finn’s voice. Loyal, fun, brave and excitable Finn, Rey knew she was lucky to have found such a friend. Rey slept fitfully the night before, her dreams full of friends gone – Leia, Luke and, yes, Ben. Did she actually speak with the spirit of Anakin Skywalker or had that been part of the dream as well? In the harsh light of the day she wasn’t entirely sure.

“I was stuck in a small sandstorm. It delayed my leaving for about a day. Everything’s clear and I’m readying to leave now.”

“Sandstorm! Rey, please don’t tell me you’ve gone back to that junkyard!”

Rey smiled to herself and reassured Finn that no, she hadn’t gone back to Jakku or Passana, his second guess. She stopped short of telling him where she was, though. Rey felt her connection to the Skywalker clan was sacred and she wanted to keep that private, at least for now. Rey doubted Finn had ever even heard about Tatooine. She knew that he had never been there and had shown no interest in the desert planets he had visited. The harsh desert sun and stark, but sometimes beautiful landscapes, were not for him. Rey had thought she felt similarly, and had been very happy surrounded by the green humidity of Ajan Kloss. But she had been dreaming of the desert during the past few months. Perhaps there was part of her who missed certain elements of her home world. Not long ago she wouldn’t have thought that was possible but there was no denying the lure of the desert she had been feeling in recent weeks. She came to Tatooine to bury the past but was now afraid she had disturbed something previously at rest. Is that what conjured Anakin?

“Rey! Rey!”

“Oh, sorry Finn! I just got distracted. What were you saying?”

“Only that Poe is looking forward to your returning. He’s been doing a lot of research on how the Jedi of the past have helped guide the Republic. He had a lot of ideas for you.”

“Wait, Poe is doing what?”

“Creating a job for you within the new government. Granted, we haven’t figured out what that new government will look like but we’ll get there eventually.”

“Who said I wanted a job in the new government? Finn, I haven’t even had time to decide what I want yet. The conflict with the First Order just ended!”

“Oh,” Finn’s voice faltered a bit. “I think we just figured you would still want to play a role. Maybe we were wrong?”

Rey sighed. “No, you’re not wrong. I want to help but I’m not exactly sure what that means, especially now that the Resistance is over and Kylo Ren is dead.”

Rey had to choke out those last words. Kylo Ren is dead. Ben Solo is dead. It didn’t feel real even though she saw it happen with her own eyes. Her time in the Sith Temple was so muddled, her fear had been so acute. Then suddenly he was there - Ben Solo! He had appeared out of the darkness like a shining beacon of light and stood by her side as they faced her grandfather. They were together and together they could not be defeated. What a silly naïve fool she had been to believe such a thing. As soon as Palpatine recognized their Dyad his plan shifted. It was nothing for him to break their bond and absorb their power, tossing Ben aside like a worthless piece of trash. Ben came to Exegol to help her and died because of it. She knew that, was grateful to him for it but it was also too painful to examine too closely. Ben Solo - she had only really known him for an instant and then like a brilliant shooting star he was gone.

Back on the commlink Finn was prattling on about the final arrangements for Leia’s funeral. Rey tried to concentrate on what Finn was saying but she was feeling anxious. The thought of Kylo/Ben had always had that effect on her. Rey leaned forward and started punching in the coordinates in the Nava computer. As soon as Ola was awake and her gear packed she would be on her way. Not a moment too soon, this place was having an odd effect on her.

Out of the corner of her eye Rey noticed a glint of metal on the edge of the horizon. She grabbed her binoculars and stared out the Falcon cockpit. A speeder was coming straight at the Skywalker homestead, fast. Who could this be?

“Finn, I have to go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Rey cut off Finn mid sentence and rushed off the Falcon to get to Ola and BB-8. The man on the speeder had gotten there first. Rey could hear raised voices are she neared the opening of the courtyard. She leapt in the air and landed gracefully on the floor next to Ola. She was crying into the newcomer's chest.

“You stay away from her!” Rey yelled.

Startled, Ola and the man split apart as BB-8 zoomed into the courtyard from the workshop.

“I don’t think you understand,” the man started.

“Hands off!” Rey shouted. Her ligthsaber ignited and she pointed it at his neck.

“Rey, it’s okay,” Ola approached Rey cautiously, as one would approach a wild animal. She placed a hand gently on Rey’s arm.

“He came to find me. This is my son Jaybra Winnbarr.”

Rey blinked stupidly and glanced between the Ola and Jaybra. “Your son?”

“Yes,” Ola said. Jaybra nodded while backing away slowly hands raised in the air. He was staring at Rey’s lightsaber. She hadn’t realized it had ignited. Quickly, she put it away.

“Why are you crying?” she asked while eyeing Jaybra suspiciously. “You are upset.”

“I came to find Ola at the request of our employer Tarekris Lampiv.” Jaybra said. “He wants the eopie back. Ola is no longer in his employment.”

Ola let out a wail and buried her face in her hands. “Where will I go? What will I do?”

“Why?” Rey asked.

“Her delay in returning from the Open Markets cost a significant transaction.”

“What type of transaction?” Rey asked.

“It's not my place to ask for details.”

“But we were stuck in a sandstorm! That’s not fair.”

“No, but this isn’t the first time you've been late. Is it mother? Don’t worry, you of course will continue to stay with us.”

“In Lampiv’s compound? He’ll never allow it! There must be something we can do. I cannot find new employment at my age!” Ola began to cough uncontrollably. Jaybra leaned in to comfort his mother and Rey was touched by his obvious love and concern for the older woman.

“Wait,” Rey interrupted. “I have an idea.”


	3. Anchorhead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey accepts a business proposition.

The flight to Anchorhead from the Lars homestead was a short one. Jaybra left in his speeder while Rey, BB-8, Ola and her eopie boarded the Falcon. They had a few hours to spare before Jaybra returned so Rey agreed to wait on the ship while Ola took the eopie back to his stall and went to the Winnbarr apartments to change. They would meet her employer together once Jaybra arrived at the Anchorhead docking station. Rey would explain how Ola had helped her and in doing so, was caught and delayed by the sandstorm. She would bargain on Ola’s behalf to keep her job without penalty. If that didn’t work, she supposed she could always use the Jedi mind trick but Rey was hoping that wouldn’t be necessary. The Jedi Masters of old would likely frown upon such a use of the Force.

Some time passed and Rey grew restless. She wandered back into the Falcon’s galley and looked to make a quick meal. Unfortunately for her, she had gifted all her favorite provisions to Ola during the sandstorm. Ola had seemed so frail and defeated as they waited out the storm and really perked up at the smell of Rey’s reconstituted food. It was an easy choice to give her meal away. Growing up on Jakku Rey had gone a lot longer than a day without food. If she got desperate, she could always break into the stores that she took from the Lars kitchen.

Rey settled for a cup of hot chocolate with tang bark. She drew the mug under her nose and inhaled with ecstasy. Chocolate was one of her favorite discoveries since leaving Jakku. She couldn’t get enough! When Rey had first arrived at the Resistance Base on the jungle moon of Ajan Kloss Rose had laughingly informed her that caf was the more appropriate adult drink but Rey paid no mind. She loved the sweetness of the chocolate and didn’t care if it really wasn’t a fitting beverage for an intimidating Jedi Knight such as herself.

Was she a Jedi Knight? With Leia’s death there was no one left who could actually confirm Rey’s status. Surely being an integral part of the defeat of Palpatine justified the title? But what did that even mean? It was distressing to hear from Finn that Poe had ideas about how to define her Jedi role within the evolving galactic government. Rey was certain that she would hate anything Poe devised. Her best option would be to define that role herself. For that she would need more time to study the Jedi texts. She would also need help. There was still so much to learn about being a Jedi. As far as she knew she was truly the last Jedi, a thought that terrified her if she allowed herself to fully consider the ramifications. For now, she was simply trying to find her feet again. How to handle the rest of it would come to her in time, or at least that is what she told herself.

Sound of raucous laughter from the docking bay drew Rey back to the cockpit. Four young pilots had just come through a door below a glowing sign for Tosche Station. They were now headed through the bay towards the interior of the city. Curious, Rey decided to follow them. They were so full of life and light in this otherwise dreary place, she couldn’t help but feel attracted to them. She still had some time before Jaybra and Ola were due back. Why shouldn’t she explore a bit?

Anchorhead was a big town from Rey’s perspective, certainly in relation to Niima Outpost back on Jakku. The multiple buildings in the city center were low and dome shaped with walls bleached almost white from the glaring sun. Rey passed all manner of beings as she followed the young men through the dusty streets. Most of the folk she passed seemed hunters, merchants or pilots though there did appear an odd militia member or two. Rey wondered at the type of government that ruled this planet.

“Oh tee dee!”

Rey whipped around to find what she first thought were a gang of hooded children. Instead, she was confronted with strange and somewhat aggressive little creatures. They were jostling each other and pointing at the lightsaber peeking out from behind her robes.

“Hey! Never mind that!” Rey closed pulled her robe tightly around her waist as the creatures stared up at her with their glowing red eyes. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Oh, you all smell terrible!”

“Oh bee koh bee! Oh bee koh bee!” They seemed to be shouting excitedly.

“Don’t encourage them miss,” a merchant called cheerfully from her stall. “They are small but clever. They will rob you blind.”

“Go away!” Rey yelled. “Shoo!”

The little creatures scattered at the sound of her booming voice. They reformed a small pack chattering excitedly and pointing back at her as they moved away.

Rey glanced down the lane just in time to see the young pilots enter a cantina at the end of the road. They paid no attention to her and the scene she had just caused. She supposed it wasn’t such an unusual occurrence, those little creatures were everywhere, but it was odd that they hadn’t even turned. The bustle of the street was subdued given the strong heat of the afternoon suns.

Shrugging to herself, Rey turned to the helpful merchant. Her stall was filled with tightly woven but surprisingly lightweight and beautifully colored cloaks.

“Thank you,” Rey nodded in the direction of the departing street gang. “I hadn’t heard them come up behind me.”

“Oh, those little Jawas can be sneaky when they want to.”

“Jawas?”

The woman nodded. “They are indigenous to this planet. I guess you are not from here?”

“No, just visiting.”

“You seem to have knowledge of the desert.” She nodded towards Rey. “Your clothes are right for this environment.”

“I grew up on a desert planet.”

“Oh? Which one?”

“Jakku.”

"Oh? I don’t know that one.”

“No one does.” Rey picked up a cloak. “These are so beautiful.”

“If I may? That hunter green one would suit you beautifully.” The merchant nodded encouragingly as Rey tried on the garment. It fit perfectly and reminded her of the luscious green of Ajan Kloss.

“So lovely on you mistress! But then I’m sure most things are. Tatooine is not often blessed with a beauty such as yourself.”

Rey felt herself blush with pleasure. The compliment seemed so genuine! She knew the merchant was probably flattering her to prompt a sale but she didn’t care. The garment felt wonderful and she loved the color.

“I’ll take it.”

Her new cloak secured Rey made her way to the cantina at the end of the street. The interior was dark and Rey paused in the entryway a moment to let her eyes adjust. There was a large bar along the opposite wall, a small and empty circular stage in the middle of the cantina and a scattering of about twenty tables surrounding the stage. The cantina was sparsely populated and Rey quickly spotted the young men, laughing and drinking at a corner table away from the rest of the patrons.

“I’ll take the house specialty.”

Rey had made her way to the bar and placed her order with a serving droid. The drink was strong and bitter, Rey coughed as she took her first sip. Not at all to her liking. If she wasn’t careful it would go straight the head. She wandered slowly towards the end of the bar, edging closer to the group young men as she slowly sipped her drink.

“Here’s to you Biggs! I can’t believe you’re finally getting off this rock!”

Cheers and clanking glasses all around as another one of the companions made a joke that Rey couldn’t hear. Roars of laughter filled the bar and Rey found herself longing for company and again missing her friends in the Resistance. What was she doing here?

“Don’t worry Luke, I’m sure you’ll be next.” 

“Yea, if his uncle ever lets him go!”   
  
“I’m going! I’m going! One more season and I’m going!”   
  
Rey’s head snapped up at the mention of the name Luke. She peered more closely at the blond young man sloppily finishing off a mug of ale and demanding another.   
  
“Master Luke!” Rey exclaimed before she could stop herself. She clamped her hand over her mouth in horror.   
  
“Don’t worry, he can’t hear you.”   
  
A faint blue glow to her right let her know she was not alone.   
  
“What are you doing here? Spying on your son?”   
  
“Me? Spying? No, this isn’t actually happening. We are just witnessing an echo in the force.”   
  
Rey turned to Anakin. “An echo?”   
  
He nodded. “It’s funny, Luke couldn’t wait to leave this place yet he left something of himself behind. I think this is one of the few places he actually felt joy on Tatooine.”   
  
“I can feel it.” Rey breathed. “He looks so young. So happy.”   
  
“In this moment, yes he does.” Anakin sounded wistful.   
  
“Are you sorry you missed his childhood?”   
  
“We are not here to talk about me Rey.”  
  
“Then what are we here for?”   
  
“I don’t’ know. You led me here.”   
  
“I led you here? I didn’t even know you until a few days ago. How could I have summoned you?”   
  
Anakin sighed heavily. “Do you ever listen? No wonder Luke got so exasperated with you.” “Hey!” “I said it before - you claimed the name Rey, but you also inherited the legacy.”   
  
“I’m not planning on keeping the name. I told you, I just blurted it out in exhaustion.”   
  
“The spoken word has the power to manifest in reality Rey. Maybe if you spent more time trying to learn the ways of the Jedi you would know about that.”   
  
Irritated, Rey turned to Anakin to bark out a response but he was gone. Startled at Anakin's hasty exit Rey turned back to Luke and his friends. The joyful scene before faded and disappeared like a wisp of smoke. She was left with a feeling of aching loss. The cantina itself seemed to quiet, to diminish. Where had Luke gone? She longed to know more of this version of her former master. He seemed so full of life, so hopeful.   
  
“Can I get you anything else?”   
  
Rey jumped as the serving droid appeared before her. She was the last customer in this lonely cantina. She glanced down at her blinking commlink.   
  
“Oh no! I’m late for Ola.” 

She gulped down her drink, threw a few credits on the bar and dashed out the cantina. Her exit was very loud and strangely difficult, tripping and knocking over multiple chairs in her decidedly ungraceful wake.

***

The room was spinning. Rey couldn’t figure out to why she couldn’t focus on what this man – Tarekris Lampiv – was saying. Judging by his body language and the tone of his voice, Rey knew the conversation wasn’t going well.   
  
“Mistress Rey” Jaybra started. “I was hoping you could tell our employer, Master Lampiv, how my mother came to help you.”   
  
Rey nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes! I passed out due to dehydration and exhaustion, I think. Ola kindly helped me out get out of the sun and into shelter. I don’t know if I would have survived if she hadn’t helped me.   
  
"You were sheltered at the Lars homestead?" "Yep.That's where Ola found me." “What is your family name? What is your business on Tatooine?”

“Me? Oh, I’m Rey. Just Rey.”   
  
Rey caught a look that passed between Ola and Jaybra. They were clearly unhappy with her response.   
  
“And your business here?”   
  
“I was putting something to rest.”   
  
“What was that?”   
  
“A family heirloom of sorts.” As soon as she said it Rey realized the stupidity of her answer. Never admit to owning anything of value, particularly in the harsh world of a desert planet. Might as well paint a target on her back. “Something of value? Something that could be of use?” “Not to anyone in particular.” “I’m afraid I don’t get your meaning.” Rey stood up to clear her head. She glanced around Tarekris Lampiv’s office. They were in a cool and dim underground room. It was sparsely but carefully furnished with nothing out of place. There were no personal items to inspect so Rey couldn’t get a feel for who he was as a man. She turned to him and tried to scan his mind. Tarekris was looking at her with a slight sense of annoyance and Rey’s poorly timed hiccup did nothing to increase her esteem in his eyes.   
  
“What did you just say?” Rey asked.   
  
“I am trying to figure out what you were returning here to Tatooine, to the Lars homestead specifically. You are being quite evasive.”   
  
“Oh, I don’t mean to be evasive. It was nothing of consequence, just a mission of sentimentality for me.”   
  
Tarekris’ frown deepened and he too stood. Rey sensed the meeting was about to come to an abrupt end.   
  
“Mistress Rey, I appreciate the time you have taken out of your busy schedule to come here and plead for Ola’s case. But I am a man with many commitments and I don’t have time to waste. I’m afraid Ola’s tardiness has been an issue before. Multiple times in fact. This time, her delay cost caused a significant rift in a customer relationship. I am sorry for her advanced age but there is nothing here to salvage. I have a waiting list full of able bodied creatures who would like to work for my conglomerate. I cannot afford to employ those that cannot get their job done.”   
  
“But Ola was late because she helped me. Does that mean nothing?”   
  
“How do I know what you are saying is true?”   
  
“Pardon?”   
  
“For all I know they fished you out of the local cantina and fed you this story. I can smell the Tatooinian Death Drink on you from here.”   
  
“Tatooinian Death Drink?” Rey repeated stupidly.   
  
Exasperated, Tarekris looked over at Jaybra and Ola. “Is that where you found her? The Anchorhead First Cantina?”   
  
“No, no, no…” Ola sputtered.   
  
Rey leaned forward and put her hand on Tarekris’s desk. She stared into his intelligent but wary brown eyes as his eyebrows shot up in surprise.   
  
“You will not fire Ola. You will forget about this incident.”   
  
“What did you say?”   
  
“You will not fire Ola. You will forget about this incident.”   
  
Tarekris rolled his eyes and glance over at Jaybra.   
  
“Please take this drunk out of my office. Ola, you have two days to vacate your room.”   
  
“I was hoping I could stay with my son and his family, just for a while.”   
  
“You know I cannot allow that. Everyone under my employ has family. If I make an exception for Jaybra I would need to make exceptions for everyone. You know the rules Ola, those living in the compound must be working. There may be room at the vagrant shelter at the edge of town.” Tarekris paused and his expression softened a bit. “I know management well and will put in a good word for you. They owe me a favor or two”   
  
“But…” Rey started.   
  
Tarekris looked hard at Rey. “I would like you to leave. Now.”   
  
Rey couldn’t understand what had gone wrong. Did she actually make things worse for Ola? She closed her eyes and raised her hands to her head. The room started to spin; it felt like the floor had dropped out from beneath her.   
  
“Ugh…” Rey spun around and vomited all over the floor.   
  
Chaos erupted around her. Tarekris was yelling for his cleaning droid, Jaybra was trying to calm his boss and Ola ran to Rey to help keep her on her feet.   
  
The door to the office burst open and two cleaning droids entered. Within minutes they had cleared all evidence of Rey’s humiliation. As they departed, they sprayed a freshener to clear the air. Rey thought she might vomit again.  
  
“Mr. Lampiv, my apologies. Please allow me to start again.”

”No, no, Mistress Skywalker,” Jaybra held up both hands. “I think we’re done here.”   
  
“Skywalker?”   
  
Rey turned back to Tarekris. Suddenly, it felt as if all the air left the room. Unease swelled in the pit of Rey’s belly. That name was supposed to be left behind, a foolish transgression that would be forgotten as soon as she left Tatooine. Now, spoken aloud, it had taken on new life.   
  
“Is your family name Skywalker?”   
  
Rey felt herself nod as her mind screamed for her to disavow the claim.   
  
“And are you the owner of the defunct Lars moisture farm near the Jundland Wastes?”   
  
Rey nodded again even though she didn’t know if this was technically true or where the Jundland Wastes were. She was feeling far too ill to ask questions.   
  
“Well, well, this is a fortuitous meeting!”  
Rey, supported by Jaybra and Ola, turned back to Tarekris. He was looking her over with renewed interest. He gestured to the seat she had just vacated.   
  
Rey sank back into the chair being too faint to stand. Tarekris seemed to have found a new tolerance of her company though he did request that two cleaning droids stand sentry on either side of her. In another circumstance Rey would have found it amusing to find herself, a mighty Jedi, being guarded against wayward vomit by two cleaning droids and two down on their luck moisture farmers. This was not what she had planned for her pilgrimage to Tatooine.   
  
“How so?” Rey croaked out.   
  
“Well, I have a tenuous relationship of the occupants out at Jabba’s Palace. Perhaps you know the place? It’s out beyond the Lars homestead.”   
  
Rey shook her head mutely. What was he talking about?   
  
“In any event, those inhabitants are a rather demanding bunch and I would prefer not to find myself on their bad side. They have a very specific quota from my conglomerate and perhaps if the Lars farm were opened it could help alleviate some of the strain on my organization and the people of Anchorhead. When do you plan to reopen? I would gladly offer support to help the farm become operational once again.”   
  
“I’m not sure I follow.”   
  
“For a small cut of the water produced along with a place for my employees to safely overnight while in the area, I’ll help you get the moisture farm up and running again. You can also take Ola here as your first employee. She’s older but she understands the mechanics of the vaporators. She also has a long history with the best vendors of Anchorhead and the free markets of the Great Chott salt flat area. She would be of great use as you need to procure supplies.”   
  
He paused and looked up at Jaybra. “I could be convinced to send Jaybra and his wife and daughter too. They are all very hardworking and I would feel better knowing some of my best employees will be involved in the new venture.”   
  
Rey’s head was swimming. She was about to flatly refuse this ludicrous proposal when she happened to look up at Ola and find the hope in her face. Agreeing to this proposal would let Rey keep a family together. She had no use for the farm but why couldn’t it become a home for someone deserving? Especially a family that had an actual connection to the place unlike her own outrageous claim. Rey reached over and squeezed Ola’s hand. An image of a small and rather poor but loving family swam before her eyes.

“How much of a cut?” Rey asked.   
  
“Twenty percent.”   
  
“Ten.”   
  
“Fifteen?”   
  
“Fifteen.”   
  
Rey slowly rose from the chair and found herself being helped by both Ola and Jaybra. Tarekris was talking excitedly about how he would need a few weeks to find replacements for the Winnbarr family but they should be ready to move in about a months’ time. Rey nodded weakly in agreement while whispering to Ola to get her back to the Falcon.   
  
“Oh, and Mistress Skywalker?”   
  
“Rey. Please, just Rey.”   
  
“Okay then. Well Rey?”   
  
“Such a shame you ruined that pretty cloak. It suited you.”   
  
Tarekris was smiling in obvious delight. Rey decided it best to simply ignore this comment. Only fair given the mess she made in his office. She also choose to ignore the reappearance of Anakin Skywalker, smirking slightly as they passed through the doorway and out into the blinding afternoon light.


	4. Goodbye General

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey attends General Organa's memorial on Naboo and runs into an old friend.

Naboo was easily the most beautiful planet Rey had ever visited. The green rolling hills, the crystalline lakes and waterfalls, the grand river cities and the ornate and colorful dome shaped architecture – it was all so enchanting! When Rose had first announced that Leia’s memorial service would be held in Theed Palace on Naboo she had been surprised. Though a Palace was certainly fit for a Princess, Rey hardly ever thought of Leia’s royal roots. To her Leia was a battle hardened General, a wise Jedi Master and, when needed, a warm maternal figure. While Leia certainly had a storied past, Rey knew a side of her that was very different from that of her younger self. She liked to think that that version of Leia had been constructed just for her. A fallacy to be certain but a cherished one nonetheless. 

During her trip to Naboo from Tatooine Rey tried to educate herself on the history of the planet and Leia’s connection to it. Leia’s mother cut as equally an impressive figure as the rest of the legendary Skywalker clan. Padme Amidala was a force all of her own, and one far from the mystical energy field that powered all of Rey’s abilities. Elected Queen of Naboo at age fourteen, Padme’s rule was filled with strife but she met it with courage and conviction. Following her reign, she gained galactic renown as a dynamic and influential Senator often working in concert with Chancellor Palpatine. With a bit of a shock, Rey realized that she also had a strong connection to Naboo. It was her grandfather’s home and the place of his first ascent into galactic power.  


Rey pushed all thought of Palpatine from her mind as she shifted in her seat. The memorial service had been going on for hours and her back was beginning to ache. The morning had been a guided tour through Leia’s life and major accomplishments displayed through a series holograms leading from the grand palace entry and through the main corridor. It was odd following this virtual trail of her Master’s life. The holograms were informative but the uncanny likeness only made Rey miss her more. A light luncheon followed the tour and then the crowd was ushered into a large symphony hall for remarks from all of those who wanted to speak on Leia’s behalf. Given her vast influence, the speeches were varied and numerous.  


Poe was on the stage at the moment, and the limelight agreed with him. He was clearly emotional, fighting back both tears and laughter as he recounted a seemingly lifetime worth of memories. Rey couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous. She had precious little time with her Master and her own stories with Leia were far less riotous. Their time together contained some warmth and comfort, yes, but more hours were dedicated to the difficult task of training to become a Jedi. Though she had felt Leia's genuine affection, there had always been some distance between them. Rey had thought it was there to maintain the Master and Apprentice dynamic. Now, armed with the knowledge of her own personal history, Rey realized that there probably was another reason for Leia to treat her with some trepidation. 

Is that why she no longer heard her Master’s voice? In some low moments over the past few days Rey felt a growing uncertainty. Did Leia just use Rey’s connection to Kylo to return Ben Solo to the light? With that task accomplished, was it possible that Leia no longer had any use for her? Admittedly, Rey had very little idea how the Netherworld of the Force worked but she did hear many former Masters assist her in the fight against Palpatine. Those Masters were now silent. Other than than a brief appearance from Luke and Leia back on Tatooine, the only Skywalker that seemed to retain a faint interest in Rey was Anakin. His surprising and sporadic visits were obtuse. Rey could not fathom their purpose and Anakin was maddeningly unpredictable and usually quite vague. Here, at his own daughter's Memorial Rey expected to catch a glimpse of him but his form had yet to materialize. Certainly, Luke never had much use for Rey in life. It did not surprise her that their connection did not follow his death. But Leia? She thought their bond was based on more than a just means to an end. Perhaps she was wrong?  


Rey's thoughts darkened as an old and potent feeling of abandonment crept back into her awareness. Being unable to sense Leia's presence was certainly a blow but the harder loss to accept was that of Ben Solo. A Dyad in the Force had the power of life itself, or so Palpatine had claimed. He had used that power to reanimate himself, at least temporarily, and yet she lived while Ben was gone. She understood that he gave up his own life so that she could live but wouldn't a Dyad suggest that they live or die together? Why was she left standing, alone, with half of her soul missing? The ache in her chest was crushing, suddenly she couldn't breathe.

“Rose, I need some air.”

Rose Tico wiped a stray tear from her cheek as she glanced at her friend in concern.

“Sure thing. Are you OK?”

Rey nodded reassuringly. “Yes, yes I’m fine. I just need to stretch my legs for a bit. It’s been a long day.”

Rose nodded in sympathy and returned her gaze to the stage where Poe was still speaking while Finn stood by his side. They made quite a dashing pair. Rey couldn’t help but feel a jolt of optimism for the future of the Resistance, whatever form that may take. 

Quietly, Rey slipped from the symphony hall and out into the main corridor of the palace. The holograms were now silent and only a few beings were milling about, speaking in hushed and respectful tones. Light from enormous floor to ceiling windows reflected the imposing marble columns and the pounding of the surrounding waterfalls echoed throughout the colossal hall. Rey felt as though she had been dropped into a world steeped in culture, civility, and ceremonial rites that she simply didn’t understand. History and power could be felt reverberating within these walls. There was also an element of restriction and conformity. Rey suddenly found herself longing for an escape. 

Outside, it was much easier to breathe. Rey stared in fascination at the huge statues of the child Queens of Naboo’s past. In her research she had read that the Naboo people believed so strongly in the purity and innocence of a child’s mind that they elected young rulers. It seemed a strange custom to Rey but what did she know given her own childhood on Jakku? Was Padme Amidala here among the frozen few who guarded the palace? Rey couldn’t be sure. The Queens images were captured in full royal regalia and were difficult to tell apart. She supposed that was intentional. The Queen of Naboo was supposed to fit a certain mold, be symbolic and not unique. None of these frozen statues could match the beauty and brilliance of Padme Amidala in her true form. From the few holograms Rey had time to view during the trip over Rey was stunned by Padme’s intelligence, composure and beauty. Granted, her life was cut tragically short but she had accomplished so much during her lifetime. Rey felt an ache for all that was lost with her death and began to understand how her absence impacted all of the remaining Skywalkers. For all his obsession with Darth Vader, Ben Solo should have saved some admiration for his grandmother. Maybe that would have changed his path enough so that he would be with her now as she discovered the shared history between them. 

Palpatine and Skywalker. There was no denying their families had been linked by destiny. Even before Padme had ever heard of Anakin Skywalker she had been working with Rey’s grandfather. He had influenced her governing of Naboo and likely watched her introduction and growing relationship with Anakin with great interest. Through communing with the Force during hours of training, Rey came to understand how Palpatine warped Anakin’s loyalties turned him to the dark side. Now here she stood, a lone Palpatine, at the steps of where it all began. She felt as though the weight of it all could easily crush her. Perhaps it should.

“Rey of Jakku, fancy meeting you here.”

Rey turned to find the diminutive figure of Maz Kanata standing before her. 

“Maz!” Rey leaned down to give her a brief hug. “It’s wonderful to see you!”

“As it is you. And look at you now, a true Jedi! You’ve become quite a legend, girl.”

Rey winced. She knew Maz meant no offense but the true legends she knew had a sad end. Plus, she didn’t feel quite ready to be mentioned in their company.

“Why aren’t you in the service?”

“Too stuffy for in there for me! I don’t need speeches and observances to remember Leia. She’s here,” Maz tapped her chest lightly. “Always.”

Rey nodded in silent agreement. 

“Come, girl, walk with me.”

Rey followed Maz down the steps and out into the street. There was an air of bittersweet celebration among the citizens of Naboo. One of their own had returned home to great renown and was being laid to rest with her much beloved mother. They had a right to be proud. Naboo had gifted two bright lights to the universe, both dedicated to galactic liberty and peace, it was something to be remembered, honored.

“I’m surprised to see you out here. Why are you not speaking at the ceremony with your friends?”

“Oh, I am not one for giving speeches. I was there for most of the morning but I guess it got to be too much for me too.”

“Yes, right! It’s all very beautiful but I’m sure Leia would have hated it. Too much fuss.”

Rey laughed in agreement. “True, but she would also have recognized that the ceremony is more for those of us left behind. She would want that for us. Begrudgingly though I’m sure.”

Maz nodded and walked in silence for a few minutes. Rey took in the sights and sounds of the street. It was so serene, peaceful. If her grandfather had been different, maybe she would have grown up here. Anger flared momentarily at the thought of a lost childhood with her parents in this paradise. She quickly let it go, however, realizing it was just a sad fantasy. Had her grandfather been different, she probably would not exist.

“And how are you?“ Maz asked. “From what I’ve been hearing you have been through quite a lot recently. Leia’s loss, and that of her son, must be weighing on you.”

Rey stopped short of Maz’s mention of Ben.

“It’s strange to hear you speak of Ben’s passing. No one cares that he is gone.”

“Well, that is because they only knew him as the dreaded Kylo Ren. From what I understand you had the unique privilege of knowing another side.”  


“Privilege? Is that what you would call it? Right now all it feels like is a crushing burden.” Rey’s voice caught in her throat. She paused and took a deep breath. “Leia told you of our connection?”

“A bit of it. She was grateful, I think, that he had at least one person who fought for him.”

“Leia fought for him! In his own way Han did too. They just failed.”

“Yes, they did. In the whole telling it’s a pretty sad tale all around.”

Rey felt the tears beginning to well into her eyes. Tears she had not allowed herself to shed, too afraid that once the floodgates opened, they would never close. To be crushed by grief, admittedly, was a fitting end to her mostly grim existence. Was that to be her sad fate?

Beside her, Maz was trying to tell her about all the great things the Resistance had planned. Rey found she couldn’t focus. The sounds of Naboo and Maz’s voice suddenly became muffled, almost as if she were plunged underwater. Her vision narrowed and focused on a certain point ahead of her. Her heart began to pound in her chest. This felt like a precursor to something, someone was coming. She held her breath in anticipation. Could it be him?

Something flashed before Rey’s eyes and she found herself in a cool, shaded courtyard that housed a small garden at its center. A young woman was tending to a sapling that appeared dead from Rey’s vantage point. The woman was carefully pruning twisted limbs from the young tree’s trunk and tossing them into a small fire pit that burned beside her. Rey wanted to call out to her to give up, that clearly the tree was dead when the woman suddenly turned in her direction. Rey gasped at her beauty and the blinding joy on her face as she smiled encouragingly at Rey. 

Rey snapped back to Maz who was staring at her through her thick goggles. The look of concern was unmistakable. 

“Rey…?”

“What do you know about Palpatine?”

“Palpatine?“ Max frowned. ”He’s finally dead. You killed him.”

“I know that but what about his family? Does he have any left?”

“Why would you want to know about Palpatine’s family? You are not plotting a revenge scheme of some sort are you? Those are dark thoughts indeed.”

Rey stared hard at the old woman. Maz knew the Force and was close with Leia. She probably already knew the truth about her origins, likely before Rey herself did. But Maz’s face gave nothing away and Rey respected her too much to crash through her mind. 

“I am a Palpatine.” Rey said flatly. “I want to know more about where I came from.”

“I know that girl, and you would be wise never to mention it again.” Maz took Rey’s hand and led her to bench on the side of the road out of earshot from the wandering crowds. “That’s a dangerous truth to reveal to the wrong person.”

“But you are not the wrong person.”

“Luckily, no, but you may find yourself surprised by who is.”

Rey signed heavily. “I know. But that still doesn’t stop me from wanting to learn more. Beyond my grandfather himself, what where they like? Are there any left? What can I learn about myself? About my parents?”

“Well, the one thing you know is that your parents were good and they loved you.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve told you before, I know the Force. I also know you, know who you were when we first crossed paths. There is a certainly written on your face now. An absolute understanding and awareness of the love the brought you into to this world and saved you from it. You are not the same scared, uncertain girl I met some years ago. Oh no.”

“That is something of a comfort, yes, but they still died because of me. Because of my power.”

“They died because of your grandfather. Nothing more. You should honor them by staying alive, by continuing to learn to use your power responsibly, for good.”

Rey stared down at her hands. “There is so much I don’t know about my power, about myself. Before I can go forward, I think I have to go back.”

Maz nodded in sympathy. “I suppose I can understand that. I have a lot of contacts throughout the galaxy - on every side of our seemingly endless conflicts. I’ll try and help you as much as I can. In the meantime, take advantage of your time on Naboo. There is probably a lot to discover right here.”

Rey nodded. “That is just what I was thinking.”


	5. Force Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While visiting Naboo, Rey tries to learn more about the Palpatine family.

Rey remained in Naboo for a little over two weeks. After Leia’s memorial she was unwittingly thrust into the heart of intergalactic politics though her connection with Poe, Finn and the Resistance. Poe had assumed the mantle of Diplomatic Liaison for the Resistance and took on a leadership role in reinforcing the scattered remains of the New Republic. It was somewhat ironic, really, as Poe was one of the least diplomatic people she knew. But he was a good man and the Resistance was left in short supply of seasoned politicians following the battle with the First Order and Emperor Palpatine.

Finn appeared a little lost in this new world of political intrigue and interpersonal drama. He tended to spend most of his time with Jannah and their ever-burgeoning company of former storm troopers. Many within the Resistance were reluctant to open the doors to these former brain-washed foot soldiers but Finn argued passionately for their rehabilitation. Unbeknownst to most of the Resistance leadership Finn had also asked Rey to monitor new arrivals and scan for mal intent. They surveyed the newcomers together, with Finn displaying an uncanny knack of identifying potential hostiles in the sea of new faces. Luckily for the Resistance those were few and far between. Most of the former troopers that landed at their door were tired, confused and looking to regain some semblance of normality in a world that no longer made sense. Watching Finn work with these damaged souls was nothing short of inspirational. Rey ached for her friend; she knew he too carried many internal scars. 

The days on Naboo passed in a blur of new faces, crash courses in geography and strange and foreign cultures. Rey begrudgingly attended meetings with Finn and Poe, desperately trying to remember the various official protocols established for dignified interaction with intergalactic beings. Though she tried, Rey failed often and rather spectacularly. The tales of her faux pas were legendary and passed around the Palace dining halls among the Resistance at night. She supposed she could accept being a source of entertainment among her compatriots. Her errors made her more relatable somehow and Rey noticed that over those two weeks people in the Resistance increasingly comfortable around her. For that she was grateful.

Alongside her growing popularity in the Resistance, Poe sought to capitalize on Rey’s talents to dazzle visiting dignitaries. The more suspicious and skeptical the group, the greater the need for her participation. Poe argued that her Jedi status would be a symbol of awe and hope for the battle scared citizens across the galaxy. Surely, they were on the right side of justice with a mythical Jedi by their side! Rey quickly grew tired of being trotted out for display and soon began skipping meetings, much to Poe’s great annoyance. Though she knew very little about the role of the Jedi in times of peace she doubted the Master’s of old would appreciate her skill reduced to a few parlor tricks. In any event, Poe would need to learn to get along with his counterparts through Diplomacy. That was his journey alone.

Most nights Rey found herself blessedly alone. Poe and Finn were generally required to attend dinner ceremonies with the visiting diplomats and Rose had chosen to return the base on Ajan Kloss to help pack for the Resistance’s next move. With the war over, there was no need to hide out on such a remote planet and most of the team was eager to get back to a more civilized location. Rey wasn’t sure where they were headed next but she realized she would miss the lush green and humidity of the rain forests.   


What she did know was that the new location would not be on Naboo. The planet had their own wounds to heal and were eager to return to their normal state of affairs. Becoming the next center of the Galactic Government was not on their agenda. Over the past few weeks, however, the Royal House had been very accommodating. Following Leia’s service, they had happily hosted many meetings and housed much of the Resistance during their stay. Rey herself had been given an ornate suite with full view of the cascading waterfalls beyond the palace grounds. She found she couldn’t relax in her apartment though. Too much finery and fretting from the palace staff. Rey refused all offers of service and pampering and couldn’t help but notice that the courtesans seemed rather offended by her lack of interest in their customs. Others within the Resistance certainly enjoyed their stay in luxury but it made Rey feel foolish.

Knowing her stay on Naboo would be short-lived Rey spent most nights strolling the Palace Plaza to the Courtyard. Here the lush gardens and numerous gently tinkling fountains had a sedating effect on her. If she concentrated for long enough, she almost could hear the voices of former Jedi Masters whispering to her. These voices were not strong and commanding as they had been on Exegol but more of a murmur on the wind. She heard no words but felt a soothing presence, or at least that is what she told herself.   


During these solitary walks she often found her thoughts turning to Ben Solo. Naboo was the land of his people, this achingly beautiful land full of history and tradition. Had he ever visited? Had he stood in this very place, marveling at the wonder before him? Somehow, she thought so. Rey even imagined that she could feel him in the very spot she stood - that they were connected through time and space as she breathed in the same air, touched the same objects, took in the same sights. But his presence was just a dream. The echo of Ben was even softer than a murmur. He was just a memory she knew, and a fading one at that.

One night when she was feeling particularly lonely, Rey made her way to the Theed Archives. Here she looked into Sheev Palpatine’s record while a senator for Naboo. She wasn’t sure what she was looking for, some evidence of the person he was before descending into darkness she supposed. Was there ever a part of him that was relatable or even admirable? Rey could find nothing of the sort that would help her in this determination. Senator Palpatine seemed strangely unremarkable during this time as a Naboo Senator. She was surprised at how often her grandfather’s name was linked with Padme Amidala’s though. There was plenty evidence of Padme’s strength and goodness, not to mention blistering beauty, in her tragically short life. Rey found herself staring at holovids of Padme, searching for features that would connect her to her grandson. That was an equally fruitless task. Leia bore a striking resemblance to her mother. Rey could even see glimmers of Luke in Padme’s gentle smile. Ben was much more of a Solo in appearance, and though he did hold himself quite regally reminiscent of both his mother and grandmother, there was little resemblance beyond a glorious head of hair.

“I can’t believe that is what you are focused on. His hair!”

Rey jumped at the sound of a clearly exasperated voice echoing out of the darkness. She whipped around to face Anakin who was staring at the tiny glowing figure of Padme Amidala.

“What are you doing here?” Rey whispered furiously as she quickly turned off the holovid.

Anakin rolled his eyes. “Why are you whispering? There is no one here but us.”

Rey glanced around the Archive room. It was late and most of the patrons were up on the main floor that housed current affairs. She was alone with the specter of Anakin Skywalker, once again. She was beginning to wonder if she was being punished. Why wouldn’t he leave her alone?

“What are you doing here?” she repeated. 

“I could ask you the same thing. Seems an odd place for someone so determined to bury their origins.”

“As horrible as it is, I have a right to know where I came from. You said as much the first time we met!”

“Yes, I suppose I did. But you’ll find no answers here. Just lies, propaganda.”

“Why lies and propaganda?”

“Do you think the citizens of Naboo want to lay claim to the most destructive being the galaxy has ever produced? How could they have nurtured a monster in their midst? No, Senator Palpatine had to be above reproach while here. Otherwise they could shoulder some of the blame for what came next.”

“That’s ridiculous! How could they have known?”

“How indeed. How could any of us known after the shadow of the dark side had descended?” Anakin stared off into the distance, a far away look in his eye. “I truly hope you never experience such a thing.”

Despite the warmth Rey felt herself shiver. The dread was palpable. 

“Anakin?”

“You will find nothing of use here Rey. Come, let’s go for a walk.”

*****

Rey followed Anakin out into the night. From there the evening took an odd turn. Though she could not remember how, they found themselves before a stately yet derelict mansion situated in the shadow of a mountain and overlooking a large, still lake. Behind them, a vast meadow swayed in the gentle breeze. Theed was nowhere in sight and the silent, dark night around them felt suffocating.

A loud chirping cut through the silence liker a laser.

“BB-8! What are you doing here?”

“He joined us on the walk over.”

Rey frowned. “I don’t remember the walk. Why is he here? How did we get here?”

Anakin sighed. “You wanted answers, Rey. This place holds some, if you are ready. Though you may need a friend when this little tour is over.”

“And your first thought was do bring along a droid?”

BB-8 snorted indignantly.

“Sorry,” Rey winced. “But you know what I mean.”

“Have you told any of your friends about your family history?”

“No,” Rey flushed. “Not yet.”

“Then I guess BB-8 was correct choice.”

“I suppose…” Rey’s voice trailed off as she stared at the large villa. There was something familiar and unsettling about this place. She wasn’t scared per say but the dwelling gave off an odd vibe – not sadness, not fear, but discomfort, unease. Despite it's worn beauty, this had not been a happy home, of that Rey was certain.

“Have you figured out where we are yet? I’ll tell you if you really don’t know.”

Rey’s eyes took in a wide set of stone stairs leading to a large and stately door flanked by two dull marble pillars. Etched above the door was the word CONVERGENCE.  


“This is where the Emperor grew up. In this very place, with his family.”

Anakin nodded. “You saw echoes of my family in Tatooine. Technically, those visions are called Force Backs. You are unusually adept at picking up these energy signatures. I suspect that has something to do with your difficult childhood. The Force helped you glean insights into people and situations - alerting you to where danger lurked. It’s how you managed to survive so young and defenseless. I’m sure you’ll also see something here. Like it or not, you are part of this family, this history.”

“Do you know what I’ll see?”

Anakin shook his head. “No. I could probably guess though.”

“Will you come in?”

“I’m sorry Rey, that is not my place.”

“Can anything in there harm me?”

Anakin paused for a moment and searched her face. “Only if you let it.”

*****

The air inside CONVERGENCE seemed hard to breath. It felt heavy, tasted stale and carried a whiff of death and rot. That initial impression had to be result of her overactive imagination for no living thing had passed through these halls in a very long time. The front foyer was almost pitch black. Rey waited a few moments for her eyes to adjust but it barely helped. She could have called BB-8 to her side but this was something she had to do alone. She left him standing sentinel in the shadows of the pillars beside the front door. The last thing she needed was a curious passerby taking note of her presence. 

Rey ignited her lightsaber and a spacious foyer rose from the darkness. Around the room portraits and tapestries adorned the walls and an elaborate chandelier hung from the high, vaulted ceiling. The portraits drew her attention. She slowly moved in to get a closer look. There were no name plates so Rey couldn’t discern at whom she was viewing. At certain portraits Rey would hear a murmur or a whisper but never loud enough to identify an actual name. She supposed if she tried hard enough she may be able glean some information but a part of her warned against doing so. 

The Palpatine’s were a remarkably similar looking family. The resemblance between the various members was so uncanny that Rey had to wonder if they sought partners with specific physical characteristics – pale skin, ice blue eyes, full lips, sharp cheekbones, fair hair. Or could they be related? It relieved her somewhat to realize that other than a similar shade of hair in one of the females, she did not resemble this clan remotely. 

One portrait was separated from the rest and hung on its own between the family crest and a landscape of the grounds surrounding COVERGENCE. It almost seemed a placement of particular distinction. Rey sucked in her breath and felt her heart quicken. This young man looked a little different from the rest. His hair was darker, his eyes shone with cunning intelligence and he had a sly smirk on his face. An unbidden memory rose from her subconscious as she stared at this portrait. The same face on a different man, one who’s expression was always full of love when he looked at her. She was staring at a perversion of her father’s face. The original model she supposed. Sheev Palpatine, barely twenty years old and already on a path of darkness. His expression was unmistakable, his eyes dead and a black aura surrounded his image. He seemed to be staring directly at her.

Suddenly, the foyer filled with warm daylight and two security guards burst through the front door dragging a visibly hurt young Sheev by the arm. They tossed him roughly onto the marble floor as another older man entered the space.

“Lord Palpatine, your son has been in speeder accident.”

“Is he hurt?”

“A little banged and bruised but he’ll be fine.”

“A pity,” Lord Palpatine sighed in disgust. “Sheev go sit with your mother.”

Rey glanced over in the direction the elder Palpatine had indicated and noted a set table on a veranda over-looking the lake. A woman was seated there with four other children, two boys and two girls.

Sheev shot his father a bloody grin as he pulled himself from the floor. Rey could have sworn their eyes met as he passed. Must be a trick of the light.   


As soon as Sheev stumbled out of earshot one of the guards lowered his voice. 

“I’m afraid there is a complication my Lord. You son killed two pedestrians in the accident.”

“What! Who where they? No one of any importance I hope.”

“Just a local farmer and his daughter but the authorities were already on the scene when arrived. You may need to press on your connections to keep this incident quiet and Sheev out of trouble.”

“Fool of a child! My first born, my heir! Look at him, he doesn’t quite fit does he? I would swear I am not his father but for his mother’s insistence and the many DNA tests I’ve administered. What I would give to be rid of him! He will not sully the Palpatine name!”

“Then I suggest you come with us now my Lord. The sooner we settle this business the better.”

The trio departed and Rey wandered over to the table where the remaining Palpatines sat. They ate in silence and pointedly ignored Sheev. Despite the beautiful setting this was a dreadful place. Resentment and hatred were palpable, and all of it directed at Sheev. He sat at the head of the table oblivious to, or perhaps reveling in, the discomfort caused by his presence. There was blood seeping from a deep gash on the side of his face and he choose to let it drip onto his plate as he tore into his meal. An acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air suddenly. Rey’s head whipped, expecting some sort of interruption. The Palpatine’s continued their meal in silence but now, strangely, smoke rose from the tops of their heads. In that moment Rey knew Sheev would kill his family. Not today or in this house, but soon he would rid himself of all his familial ties.

Rey turned back to Sheev and was startled to see him staring at her with a bloody grin. She gasped and stumbled backward.   


“This is just an echo, a Force Back. He can’t see me!” She cried out.

Hearing Rey’s distress BB-8 called from the front steps.

Breathing heavy Rey shouted back to BB-8. “I’m OK!” 

Before her the scene returned to normal. The smoke was gone, Sheev unaware of her presence and the unhappy Palpatine clan continued to begrudgingly share a meal.  


“Please stop,” Rey groaned. “I’ve seen enough.”

Was it her imagination or did Sheev smirk ever so slightly at her words? She couldn’t be sure and suddenly she felt a stark, cold fear as bile rose in her throat. The scene remained vivid as she dashed towards the front door. Rey had to stop herself from shrieking as she passed Lord Palpatine’s portrait. His head had been bashed in so brutally that he was barely recognizable. Another example of Sheev’s handiwork. Rey needed to leave this place. She was beginning to feel very ill.

Rey burst into the night air and ran down the stairs. Confused and worried BB-8 chased after her as fast as he could manage on the wide stone steps. When she reached the stone walkway Rey stumbled and flew face first into the grass. Full of momentum and out of control BB-8 whizzed by in an orange and white blur and crashed into a tree. Her face full of dirt Rey cried out in physical and emotional pain. The horror of her family was beginning to dawn on her. How could she move forward with such a history?

“Let the past die, kill it if you have to.”

“Ben!” Rey jumped off the grass and spun desperately around. Beside her BB-8 was running self-diagnostics to access the damage. He seemed in working order, if a little dented and dirty. 

“BB-8, did you hear that?”

BB-8 made an inquiring noise.

“Ben, or uh, Kylo! I heard him. Clear as I hear you now.” She paused and slowly took in the silent night. It was just her and BB-8. She shook her head vigorously. “No, no, I know I heard him!”

BB-8 blurted out a question.

“What did he say? He said, “Let the past die, kill it if you have to.”

BB-8 nodded and rolled back to the foot of the stairs. To her surprise he took out his lighter and lit the flame. 

Rey suddenly laughed with delight. She knew what she had to do, it was so obvious! Looking down at her hands she harnessed a power passed to her through the Palaptine bloodline and destroyed CONVERGENCE with impunity. It was high time someone had blasted that evil place to smithereens, an unwelcome blight on this lovely Lake Country. Seeing that she was the last Palpatine it made sense that the task fell to Rey.

The destruction took some time given the size of the villa. Exhausted, Rey fell to the ground and watched the flames devour the last remains of the house, careful to monitor that the fire never moved beyond the walls of CONVERGENCE. The air felt cleaner somehow and she felt freer than she had in a long while. As Rey drifted into a peaceful sleep, she thought she saw a small pointy eared creature smiling indulgently at her as the flames turned to wisps of smoke and were carried up, up and away taking all the negativity with it.


	6. With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey has a promise to keep. First, she must face some tough questions from Poe and Finn.

The marble floor felt hard beneath her. Early sun was streaming through the large windows. Outside, the sound of the pounding waterfalls should have had a calming effect but all they proved to be was a distraction. Just beyond her apartment doors she could hear the sound of Theed Palace coming to life. Her mind wandered to the staff and the Queen’s courtiers. What were they doing at that moment? What were their plans for the day? She envied them their simple yet purposeful lives. What she would give to have such clarity. She had none, which is why she found herself seated on a cold floor. Rey was trying to meditate, and failing miserably.

“Be with me, be with me.”

Rey breathed in and out, desperately trying to connect to the Force which seemed increasingly elusive of late. Meditation had never been her strength but at a minimum she could elevate herself above wherever she had chosen to sit. She waited for that odd sensation to occur. Not one of lifting from the ground but more of the floor dropping away while the boundaries of her form dissolved and merge with air around her. A feeling of pure consciousness, one that was open and receptive enough to connect with what she needed to help her survive. Only once in over a year of practice did she hear the voices of the Jedi. And that instance was not during a meditation but of action. Now that memory was hazy, indistinct. Was it all just a figment of her imagination, a manifestation of pure terror or a true connection to the Jedi Masters of the past? She could no longer be sure. Her own Masters have seemingly abandoned her to the netherworld of the Force. All she was left with was the sporadic specter of Anakin Skywalker. Though was that a figment too? A guilty projection resulting from her presumptuous claiming of the Skywalker name? More importantly, did she really hear Ben’s voice last night or was she slowly losing her mind? In the harsh light of day, the latter seemed far more plausible.

The doors to her apartments crashed open and BB-8 zoomed in, followed by a flashing and whooping security droid.

“It’s okay XP93, BB-8 is a friend.”

Rey rose from the floor as BB-8 rolled up beside her. He made a rather rude sound to XP and shook his head at the departing droid.

“That’s not nice BB, XP is just here to keep us all safe.”

BB-8 gave another somewhat rude reply before informing Rey of his mandate. Apparently, Poe and Finn were requesting her presence at Poe’s office.

Rey sighed heavily. “Is it another full day of meetings? I’m really not in the mood for politics.”

BB-8 cared little for Rey’s lack of enthusiasm. Poe’s message successfully delivered, he Zoomed off to his next mission of the day.

Rey pulled on a simple brown robe and stepped out into the hallway. As always, her lightsaber was safely tucked away in the folds of her garment. The light coming in through huge stained-glass windows colored the halls a soft dusty rose. The polished floors, decorative marble columns and clear chandeliers gleamed in the morning sun, it was almost blinding, Rey pulled up her hood to help shade her eyes. It was so beautiful here, but yet so ornate. Her simple grab had no place in palace apartments and she supposed she did not either. While she could appreciate the beauty around her it felt so foreign and formal to her. She found herself longing for a simpler place. Somewhere she could more easily connect with herself as find her center. Naboo’s elaborate and colorful architecture, not to mention royal customs and protocol, was too much for her senses. She realized suddenly that she was feeling overwhelmed.

Rey’s commlink started to beep. Startled, Rey immediately connected to the device thinking it was Poe and Finn ready to admonish her for her tardiness.

“Mistress Skywalker!” Tarekris Lampiv’s voice boomed throughout the halls. “Wonderful to hear you voice.”

“Tarekris, please, I’ve told you to call me Rey. Just Rey.”

Rey glanced around her. The hallway was empty but the Skywalker name seemed to echo throughout the palace walls. Rey felt a strange energy rise. Out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw a figure dart around the corner. She strained to listen and was met with only silence.

“Rey?” Tarekris barked into the commlink.

“Sorry, what?”

“Are you okay? Have I caught you at a bad time?”

“No, this is fine.”

“Great, well I’ve got everything here just about ready to make the move to the Lars homestead. Could we rendezvous in Anchorhead in about two weeks’ time?”

“Two weeks?” Rey’s heart sank for a moment. Of course, she would honor her promise but had no idea how she would explain her impending absence to Poe and Finn. Of the two, Finn would be much more accepting of a vague need for a bit of time away. Poe would be much more critical. He had great plans for her and especially her Jedi talents. Plans to which she wasn’t even sure she would agree. How could Poe be the one to define the role for a Jedi in the reformed Republic? The thought of it really irritated her, as did Poe on most occasions.

“Yes, Ola and her family are very excited! As am I. I have great hopes for our new venture.”

Rey closed her eyes and took a deep breath. A calming image of Tatooine’s twin suns sprang to mind. A stark desert to be sure but not one without a strange beauty and a sense of comfort and simplicity.

“Two weeks it is. I’ll reach out when I’m on my way.”

***

“So, what were you doing in the Lake Country last night?”

Poe, dressed in the formal attire that indicated a slate full of diplomatic meetings, was frowning at her from behind a large and gleaming desk. Finn stood behind him, handsome in a dark navy tunic and pants with knee high shiny black boots. He too was dressed to impress, the blaster on his hip indicating his lethal prowess. Given his good-hearted propensity to welcome any and all First Order deserters, he and Jannah wisely remained on high alert at all times.

“I’m sorry?” Rey stammered, taken aback by his harsh tone.

“You, Lake Country, last night. Why?” Poe repeated.

“What makes you think I was in Lake Country.”

Poe sighed heavily and looked up at Finn. “I told you she wouldn’t be straight with us.”

“Straight about what? I don’t know what you are talking about.”

Just then BB-8 rolled in from the side chamber. Rey winced as she noted his dents, scratches and the ashy residue that coated his body. He almost looked grey in some spots. How had she missed that this morning?

Poe raised an eyebrow and a dragged a finger across BB-8 controls. He lifted his blackened index finger to Rey.

“Care to tell me what this is about? He was with you last night, yes?”

“Uh, yes.”

“And the dents and scratches? Drop another tree on him?”

“Poe,” Finn muttered. “This isn’t what we agreed.”

Poe ignored Finn and turned to BB-8. “Go on, get out of here. Go get yourself fixed up.”

Rey watched in silence as BB-8 approached. He made a mournful sound as he passes. She smiled slightly and mouthed “I’m sorry” at his departing form. She turned back to Poe and Finn. They were staring at her with identical quizzical expressions.

“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” Rey asked.

“You have nothing to say about the state of my droid?”

“BB-8 came with me on an errand last night. He was distracted by a bonfire, slipped down some stairs and rolled into a tree.” The events were true enough, the sequence admittedly a bit off.

“Really? Is that all?”

Rey stole a glance at Finn. He shot back an imploring look. What was he trying to communicate?”

“Yes, that’s all.”

Poe sank back in his chair and rubbed his temples. Finn placed his hand on Poe’s shoulder but Poe shrugged it off.

“And did this bonfire happen to be at the former residence of the Palpatine family?”

“BB-8!” Rey gasped before she could stop herself.

“No, no, leave BB-8 out of this. He had nothing to do with my knowing your whereabouts last night.”

“How?”

“Sit down Rey, please.”

“But…”

“SIT DOWN.”

Again, Rey glanced at Finn. He gestured her to take a seat and she mutely followed, wondering if it would be best to remove this memory from them.

“And do you even think of using that Jedi mind trick nonsense on me.”

Rey felt her face flush.

“Even I could see you were thinking about it.” Finn said.

Rey looked up at him with a sheepish expression and simply shrugged her shoulders.

“Are you going to talk? Or should I tell you what we know?”

“Go on.”

“You have been studying up on Senator Palpatine of late.”

Startled, Rey began to object but settled when she saw the look on Poe’s face.

“Did you know that Theed has security officers that keep tabs on that sort of stuff? Of course, this is a free city and citizens are allowed to study what they wish. But let’s just say that the dedication you demonstrated to your research did not go unnoticed. You’ve been in the archives all week. What exactly are you looking for?”

Rey did not respond.

“Nothing to say? Okay fine, you have developed this odd curiosity of Sheev Palpatine. Let’s just set that aside for a minute. Then you and BB-8 are recorded buy security cameras in Lake Country on the same night the Palpatine residence was destroyed by an obviously intense yet strangely contained wildfire. Only the structure was destroyed – a stone structure. None of the surrounding grounds were or wildlife were touched. Odd, don’t you think? And then BB-8 turns up this morning looking like he’s been playing in ash.”

Poe took a deep breath and stared hard at Rey. She stared back, conceding nothing. 

“Rey?” Finn asked quietly. “What happened last night? Does this have anything to do with your training? With the Jedi?”

Rey was so tempted to confess. Unburden the entire horrible story of her origins to Finn and Poe. What a relief it would be to tell someone, anyone about the sickening tragedy that was her life. But somehow, she knew that would irrevocably change their relationship. She wouldn’t say that it would destroy their friendship, she had more faith in Finn and even Poe for that, but she knew it would change. She wasn’t ready for that. After everything that had happened to her to this point, she simply couldn’t handle another loss. Maybe it was selfish but she needed to hold onto something.

“Yes, it had to do with my training.”

Finn sighed heavily with relief.

“See, I told you it had to have something to do with the Jedi.”

“Shh,” Poe held up a hand to his friend. “How does destroying the ancestral residence of the deceased Emperor have anything to do with the Jedi?”

Rey took a deep breath and thought quickly. “Some places hold memories, or energy. I’ve heard it referred to “echoes” in the Force. The Palpatine’s lake house Convergence was one such place. There was a horrible, dark energy that emanated from that dilapidated estate. I don’t know if this energy held any real power but I felt it needed to be cleared. I used the force to burn it to the ground. BB-8 was with me.”

“And this fire that you started, did it work?”

Rey closed her eyes and thought back to the night before. When the flames subsided there did seem to be a cleansing of the air and a lightness in her own step. She cast her mind forward and she could almost see plant life springing among the charred rocks, bird song filling the air and curious feral creatures taking new dominion over the spot. It was such a beautiful spot in nature. A place that should be enjoyed by all creatures and no longer a terrible reminder of the evil the once lurked there.

Rey opened her eyes and smiled. “Yes, I think so.”

Finn clapped his hands together. “Well, great that makes sense to me! Told you Poe, I knew there would be a rational explanation. Come on Rey, let’s go get some food.”

Rey smiled gratefully at Finn. In all the time she knew him, never did he once doubt her. She felt a pang of guilt for lying to him. Someday she knew she would have to tell him the truth. But today was not that day. She was relieved to have gotten out of this scrape relatively unscathed. Despite his strong stance Poe, or even Finn, could not stop her from doing whatever she felt she needed to do. She hated the idea of messing with her friends’ memories and was relieved that it hadn’t come to that.

“Not so fast.”

Poe was still sitting behind the desk as they turned to leave.

“What Poe?” Finn asked grumpily. “This is all settled and I’m hungry.”

“Listen Rey, I’m with you. I know you know that Finn is with you. Naboo security? They have some concerns.”

“What?” Rey asked.

“Well, I can tell them some version of your story to help explain why you were studying Palpatine. They know you are a Jedi. But they have had a tenuous relationship with Jedi in the past.”

“What do you mean?”

“Anakin Skywalker once stayed here. Did you know that?”

“How would I know that?” Rey answered slowly.

“Not sure how much Jedi history you know. In any event, Padme Amidala was in hiding here years ago during a time when her life was in danger. Anakin was assigned to protect her. The Naboo had many dealings with him, knew him to be a respected Jedi. Yet he then married a beloved former Queen in secret and brought about her untimely death through his own horrific actions.”

Rey felt her knees go weak. “I wasn’t aware of all that.”

“Not many are.” Poe nodded. “Listen, I’ll just say that they were nervous about your presence from the beginning and I’m afraid last night’s outing sealed the deal for them. They would prefer if you left.”

“What? That’s ridiculous!” Finn shouted.

“Ridiculous or not I think we need to agree. The Naboo Royal House has been very accommodating to us. If we want to remain on good terms, and we do, I think we need to send Rey on a mission elsewhere.”

“It’s okay Finn. I’ll leave. I don’t want my presence to cause any problems.”

“Thank you, Rey,” Poe smiled at her for the first time that morning. As irritating as he could be Rey was pleased that Poe was no longer angry with her. More for Finn’s sake than her own, admittedly. She knew he counted them both among his closest friends. She did not want to cause him any undo stress with her tension and bickering with Poe.

“Where do you need me to go?”

“Finn? Should she go with you and Jannah?”

“Finn?” Rey asked surprised. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Yea, actually. Some of the new guys have been telling us where former storm troopers have been hiding out. They’re traumatized, not sure what to do with themselves and – from what I hear – causing trouble. We’re going to try to find them to see if we can help get them on a better path.”

“Oh, that sounds like it could be dangerous. Do you need any help?”

“From a Jedi?” Finn grinned. “You know I’ll take it!”

“Great! Where are we going?”

“To some city planet. What’s it called Poe? I can never remember the name.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “Do you ever read the stuff I give you? The planet is Coruscant.”


	7. The Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey travels to Coruscant to help Finn and Jannah on a mission.

Rey didn’t think it possible, but she found a place she hated more than Niima Outpost on Jakku. The G7 Slum District of the Coruscant undercity was a type of foul that she had never before experienced. Though it was only midday when they arrived, no sun reached this part of undercity given that they were so far below the surface of the planet. All around her bright neon lights flashed constantly to help illuminate the cavernous but crowded underground space. The air was a noxious mixture of engine exhaust and sweat from the masses that populated the area. All manner of beings and droids passed, very few of which appearing friendly or welcoming. At least folk at Niima Outpost were curious about visitors, probably because there were so few. Here, the locals seemed both weary and hostile. Many openly eyed Rey with suspicion. She wasn’t frightened; she could certainly take care of herself. But she was uncomfortable in this place and hoping their stay would be short.

“Should we go in and check on them?” Zorii asked.

Rey glanced over at her companion. Chewbacca had returned to Kashyyyk following the final battle with the Empire and First Order such that Rey found herself without a copilot for the trip to Coruscant. Poe had volunteered Zorii Bliss in Chewie’s place and, having limited other options on such short notice, Rey agreed to the arrangement. Rey was initially suspicious of Zorii, believing that Poe had her installed to keep close tabs on the proceedings. While that may have been true, she quickly learned that Zorii was a very capable pilot and that she liked her company. Zorii kept to herself mostly and didn’t ask too many questions. Rey was curious to see what she looked like under her elaborate helmet but had never seen her remove it. She supposed Zorii would do it when she felt comfortable. Or perhaps not, maybe it wasn’t customary. To this point, all Rey had garnered of her physical appearance was a pair of arresting and intelligent green eyes.

“Hmmm, it has been a while since they went into the Cabaret.”

Rey reached out in the Force. She didn’t feel anything particularly alarming but her abilities were a little sluggish of late. She wasn’t sure she fully trusted her instinct. What once came so easily and naturally now required so much effort and concentration, and it was near impossible for her to focus in this chaotic and moderately toxic environment.

“Well, if we do go in just prepare yourself. The clientele will likely want to eat you alive.”

“What do you mean?”

Zorii chuckled beneath her helmet.

“With your sweet face and form fitting attire? The locals will love you.”

Rey scrunched her face in confusion. “Please, I have this bulky robe on! No one will be able to even tell I’m female.”

“Look, all I’m saying is that these folks don’t often get a gander at someone as, well, pure and innocent looking as you. Don’t be surprised if you attract a lot of attention.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“Oh, I know you can. Just be ready for anything.”

Rey nodded and almost unconsciously touched the lightsaber strapped securely to her side.

Inside the Cabaret the music was pulsing and the room smoky and dim. She could hardly see but for the illuminated stage near the back of the room of the room. Scantily clad females of all species were dancing suggestively to a crowd of appreciative beings. Off to one end of the room a few heavily armed Mandolarians were seated with a number of human females draped seductively all about them. Rey felt her face flush. She couldn’t see Finn or Jannah but she could feel their presence, two bright spots in a room full of gleeful depravity. Surely, they wouldn’t find any defectors in such a place? This seemed only a gathering for the corrupt and dangerous. 

Just ahead of her Zorii pushed through the crowd forcefully and with purpose. Rey got the distinct sense that Zorii has been in many places of this kind before, the environment no visible impact on her demeanor. Rey, conversely, was feeling very out of sorts. She didn’t like the undercity, this Cabaret even less. She felt many eyes on her as she made her way across the room. She forced herself to stand taller, appear more intimidating. If anything, that made her even more noticeable. Rey caught the eye of a hulking Zabrak who smiled suggestively and licked his dark lips as she passed. Rey gasped, more in disgust than alarm and pushed quickly ahead. Zorii fell behind and grabbed her arm as they finally made their way out of the crowd.

“Hold up Rey!”

“What?”

“Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, why?”

“You just pushed ahead so quickly. Like you were spooked by something.”

“I don’t like this place very much.”

“Really? I can’t imagine why.”

Behind them, Rey could hear bawdy laughter and whoops and whistles. She turned and met the eyes of the Zabrak, now surrounded by a few friends, shouting obscenities in her direction from across the room. Rey was grateful for the throngs of beings that separated them. She could tell from the Zabrak’s aura and expression that a physical interaction with her was on his mind, though not the type she was used to. The thought made her feel ill.

“Ugh.” Rey winced.

“Do me a favor, the next time you come to a place like this don’t wear white okay? You stand out too much from the crowd already. No need to draw additional attention to yourself.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t be coming to places like this very often.”

“No, I suppose not. Quite unseemly for a Jedi.”

A ripple of fear seized Rey and her head snapped up. She scanned the room and spotted a wide doorway that opened to a corridor off the back wall. Her nerves forgotten; Rey lunged forward. Turning, she realized Zorii hadn’t followed. She appeared distracted by something near the stage. Rey used the force to gently tap at Zorii’s helmet. Startled, Zorii whipped around and pulled out her blasters. Rey shrugged and smiled a little sheepishly before gesturing for Zorii to follow her. Zorii's shoulders slumped in annoyed as she reholstered her weapons. They passed under the archway and moved slowly and quietly down the dimly lit corridor. Ahead, Rey heard a loud bang and some raised voices. Beside her, Zorii quickened her step. There was another loud bang that was followed by the sound of a multiple chairs squealing against a metal floor. Rey and Zorii broke into a trot. Shouting ensued as they burst into a Pazaak room, lightsaber out and guns blazing.

There were six people in the room, including Finn and Jannah. All were former storm troopers based on the four beaten-up but clearly once white helmets that were lined haphazardly against the wall. Two men were seated at the card table while the other two appeared to be wrestling. One looked up from a headlock while the other paused his fist mid strike as they took in Rey and Zorii’s dramatic entrance.

Finn and Jannah were seated at the card table. Jannah had a neon green drink in her hand but her arm froze mid-air as she threw Rey an incredulous look. Finn too looked confused and a little unhappy at their startling appearance and gestured for them to stand down.

“Is that a lightsaber?” asked one of the men seated at the card table. 

“Yes,” Rey nodded as she powered down her saberstaff and returned into the folds of her cloak.

“What are you, some sort of Jedi?” said the other. “I thought they were extinct.”

“Technically they are.”

“Then what are you?”

“Nothing more than a student of the past I suppose.”

“What are you doing here?”

Finn stood up. “Rey is part of the Resistance, though now I suppose I should say the Reformation. She’s one of us, here to help.”

The two men wrestling returned to their tousle, having lost any interest in the new arrivals. The smaller one dove at the larger and the two crashed onto the floor. Rolling and punching at each other they conducted an oddly orchestrated dance towards the door. Zorii planted herself by the exit and stood close watch over them

“She doesn’t look like she’s here to help. She looks like she’s here to fight.”

A slight hitch in the man’s voice caught to Rey’s attention. There was an undercurrent of fear present, but not of her. He was staring at her defiantly as he pushed back from the table and rose to stand.

“What do you say princess? I’ve never had a go at a Jedi before.”

“What are you doing Tug?” Jannah sighed, exasperated. “We were finally getting somewhere. Can’t you sit back down and finish your drink?”

“Yea Tug, you should let this one go. You don’t want to mess with her.” Finn agreed. 

“Oh, I don’t know. We spent years training to go up against a Jedi. Surely you remember FN? Could be fun.”

“You’ve had too much time on your hands,” Jannah said. “Looking for nothing but trouble.”

“And why shouldn’t I? Ripped from my family at five years old, brain washed into thinking serving the First Order is the highest honor. When do I get something that’s mine?”

“That’s why where here Tug. Jannah and I want to help you, all of you.”

“How can you help me when I don’t even know what thoughts are mine?”

“Sit down Tug,” the other trooper said. “The sooner we hear them out the sooner they will leave.”

A loud thud from behind the wall echoed throughout the room. All of the former troopers froze in place and turned to stare at Rey. The sense of fear in the air was palpable. Zorii, intuitively understanding that the situation in the room just suddenly changed, took a few steps closer to the troopers on the floor and trained both blasters at them.

“What was that?” Rey asked, staring directly at Tug.

She felt rather than saw Tug reach behind his back and pull out a blaster. He was fast, but Rey was faster. She ignited her lightsaber and dove in front of Finn and Jannah. The double blade deflected a few rapid-fire blaster bolts and the troopers at the card table went down. She turned towards the other two and they were on their knees with their hands up in the air shouting that they weren’t involved.

Finn grabbed one by the tunic.

“Involved in what?”

The thud from behind the wall came again, louder this time.

“Involved in the deal. We told them no, that it wasn’t a good idea! Please, we don’t want to be a part of this. We’re just trying to survive.”

“What are they talking about?” Zorii asked.

“I think there is something behind that wall.” Jannah said.

Rey crossed the room in two steps and found a hidden panel in the wall. It opened and she found herself staring at a group of scared and dirty children, ranging in age from quite young to at least adolescent. An older female stepped protectively in front of the group.

“They were going to sell us,” she said. 

“Who?”

“That lot,” the youth gestured to the storm troopers. “They tricked us! They said were going to be taken in, taken care of!”

“That’s what they told us!” One of the surrendered troopers shouted. “We didn’t know there were looking for slaves until today! Sev and I didn’t want to do it but Tug said we had to, that we would die if we crossed them.”

“Crossed who?” Rey asked, enraged.

“The Mandalorians.”

***

The chase through the streets of the Coruscant undercity was exhilarating. Rey hadn’t felt this strong since before Exegol. Full of purpose, and a bit of rage, the Force flowed through her. Her limbs felt strong yet light, her senses quickened and she was attuned to the flow of traffic, both machine and being, long before it posed any great risk. She felt blissfully alive.

Once she understood the full breadth of the transaction they had inadvertently stumbled upon, Rey flew from the room to apprehend the Mandalorians. She burst into front room from under the archway and quickly scanned the crowd. Three of the helmeted thugs were still gathered in a corner holding court with several dancing girls. Rey turned to find her companions when a pair of strong arms grabbed her from behind. She kicked her legs out in front of her, planted her feet off the ground and threw a Gamorrean off her back. Quickly, she spun back around and found herself face to face the Zabrak. He was flanked by another Gamorrean and an enormous bald human. He stared at her in wonder and grinned suggestively.

“What a wild thing you are. I am really going to enjoy this.”

Blind rage filled Rey. She threw both her hands out in front of her and Force pushed all three, sending them flying like rockets into the pulsing crowd. They took down at least twenty additional patrons as the crash landed onto the dance floor. The bald human was propelled onto the stage and took down the three performers as careened to the opposite side of the floor. The crowd panicked and started streaming towards the exits. The Mandalorians were enveloped in the shuffle and Rey lost sight of them. She raced back into the corridor, passing her very confused party, and burst into a stairwell at the end of the hallway. Up and out she raced onto a shabby terrace. Screams from the crowd could be heard as they merged with the pedestrians on the streets. Smoke and exhaust were in the air, it was difficult to see. If the Mandalorians suspected that the riot at the Cabaret had anything to do with them they would leave the district immediately. Rey knew that meant they were likely headed to the main portal, a huge ventilation shaft that provided access to all levels of the Coruscant underworld.

_"Rey…”_

Over the screams of the crowd Rey heard a deep male voice call her name. She whipped around but she was alone on the terrace.

_"Careful, Rey.”_

For a moment the world stilled and she felt as if a bubble descended around her. The noise of the undercity grew muffled, the surroundings grew hazy and for an instant time stood still.

“Ben?” She hesitantly called.

Three jetpacks screamed overhead bursting the bubble and the undercity came roaring back to life. She leapt off the roof of the terrace and raced towards the hanger bay adjacent to the portal. The Mandalorians were not far ahead and did not realize they were being followed. Rey picked up her speed, ran up the slope of a scrap metal pile and launched herself at one of the Mandalorians. She grabbed onto the straps of the underside of his jetpack, swung him around and knocked the other two out of the sky. The first Mandalorian recovered from his shock of her sudden appearance quick enough to butt her in the head with his Beskar helmet. Rey’s head jerked back and she saw stars. He didn’t drop her though. Instead he grabbed more tightly as he sped towards the portal. Her arms were limp. She was trying to reach for her saber but her body wasn’t responding.

“Goodbye Jedi,” a rough voice laughed as he released her.

Rey could feel herself falling. She told herself not to panic but fear still seized her. She tried desperately to think what a Jedi would do in this situation but realized she had no idea. One chaotic year of training and a Force bond with Kylo Ren does not a Jedi make. The bright light of the surface of Coruscant above her was shrinking fast. Her head was throbbing and all thought was slipping away. Someone had tried to warn her. Who had tried to warn her? Could it have been Ben? Some other Jedi? She regretted her lack of focus on meditation. If only she tried harder maybe she would have better understood the message. It hardly mattered now, though. There was nothing to stop her freefall and only the ground level of this dreaded undercity was coming to greet her. She closed her eyes to welcome her fate. Surprisingly, she felt a jolt of sadness with the realization that she wouldn’t be there to help establish Ola and her family on the Lars farm. She found herself dimly hoping that somehow Tarekris still honored the plan when a metal arm reached out and plucked her out of the air.


	8. The Temple

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey finds herself exploring the abandoned Jedi Temple on Coruscant.

The hand around hers felt strong and comforting. She was lying on a cot and someone was beside her. She could feel their presence solid and true, with thoughts full of concern for her. The haze of a disturbing dream was fading and light was seeping into her consciousness. Slowly, she was becoming more aware of her surroundings. There was mostly silence, interrupted occasionally by a whooshing door or a beeping droid, plus clean, unmistakable smell of bacta. She was in an infirmary. Rey turned her head to one side and sensed a large and hulking form standing sentinel by a window. She gasped aloud and sat straight up in bed.

“Ben!” Her voice croaked so badly the name leaving her lips was undecipherable. Coughing trace amounts of bacta from her lungs, Rey found herself staring into the glowing yellow eye of the security droid assigned to her during her stay on Naboo. XP-9357 stared back impassively, no part of its large frame moving but the eye that slowly scanned the room over the top of her head. Though it wasn’t looking at her directly, Rey had the distinct impression that the droid was studying her. She shivered instinctively.

“Rey!” Finn gathered her up in a fierce hug. “You are all right.”

“Ow!” Rey gasped as pain shot down her left arm and into her torso.

“Oh, sorry, sorry! I forgot about your injuries.”

“What injuries?”

“Well, XP-9357 here had to jerk you pretty hard to catch you as you were falling down the ventilation shaft. Your arm must be sore.”

“Yes,” Rey said as she rubbed her side gingerly. “What is my Naboo security droid doing here?”

“We’re not sure. Zorii said its programming must not have been deactivated before you left Naboo. Security droids usually have a fail safe mechanism to prevent these kinds of things from happening but that obviously didn’t work.”

“That is very odd,” Rey said eyeing the droid with some suspicion.

“Yea, I guess it is. But I have to say I’m glad it happened. Otherwise who knows what would have happened to you!” Finn shuddered. “I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.”

Rey turned to her friend and smiled into his warm brown eyes. Finn was such a good person; she knew she was lucky to have him in her life. For that, she would always be grateful. But as she looked at Finn she could feel a deeper emotion emanating from her friend. It was something that she had noticed periodically over the past year but she was always so busy training with Leia to pay it much mind. Here, the truth was inescapable. Finn was developing a deeper sort of attachment to her, a depth of affection that she did not feel – at least not yet.

Matters of the heart was somewhat foreign to Rey. Romance was in very short supply on Jakku and since joining the Resistance Rey had little time to engage in the various mating rituals she observed amongst her peers. Some of the customs and rituals, particularly among the more exotic species, truly baffled her! Though admittedly, it was very sweet when genuine affection sprung up between two beings. She thought she felt something of the sort for Ben Solo but her bond with him made her question the nature of her emotions. Did she really feel a true connection to him or was it more a consequence of being a Dyad in the Force? She was not sure and regardless it was moot point. Ben was gone. He disappeared right before her eyes after bestowing her the most joyful smile she had ever seen. Two that were one, at least that was what Palpatine had claimed. If true, how could Ben be gone and she remain standing? Ben called to her just after he past but was that real or a figment of a confused and grief-stricken mind? He said he would always be with her but where was he? Why hadn’t she seen him since Exegol? There was so much she didn’t understand and, unfortunately, no one left to teach her. The thought was overwhelming. Rey gently pulled her hand from Finn’s and gently rubbed her eyes. She was dangerously close to tears.

“How long have I been here?”

“Only since last night. They put you right in the bacta tank. I don’t’ know if you remember but you had a pretty nasty gash on your leg. Do you remember what happened?

Rey rubbed her temples. She had a dull headache. “I ran up a scrap metal pile. I must have nicked my leg against something. I guess I didn’t really notice in the heat of the chase.”

“The good news is that you healed quickly once in the bacta tank. You’ve been asleep ever since you came out.”

“What happened with your storm trooper friends?”

Finn frowned a bit and leaned back in his chair.

“Oh, that. Listen Rey I don’t mean to sound critical but you do realize that you almost killed two of them?”

“They shot at you!”

“Tug panicked, he thought you were there to arrest them.”

‘You should have arrested them! They were selling children into slavery!”

“Actually, it’s a little more complicated than that. I don’t understand everything about Mandalorian culture but they were looking for something called Foundlings. Their kind have been decimated out so a strategy they sometimes use to build their ranks is to take in unwanted or orphan children.”

“But that child said they were being sold!”

“The child was wrong. We recovered all the children and the Mandalorians came back to explain the situation. Four or five of the children still wanted to join.”

“And you let them go!”

“Yes, Rey. Their story checked out.”

“What about the other children?”

“We have them, Jannah and me.”

“Why?”

“We don’t know what to do with them yet. These kids really have no safe place to go. We’re trying to connect with officials in Coruscant to see if anything can be done.”

“And what about the Mandalorians?”

“What about them?”

“One of those Mandalorians tried to kill me!”

“The way he tells the story you were trying to kill them. They saw your handiwork back at the Cabaret. The one that dropped you down that shaft said he didn’t think it was possible to kill a Jedi. He was just buying some time so that he and his buddies could get away. Jannah and I found the two you knocked out of the sky. They were pretty banged up and told us the whole story.”

“And the storm troopers?”

“Recovering a few doors down from here.”

Rey’s head was spinning. From Finn’s telling, she drastically misread the situation and caused more harm than good. Even worse, she nearly killed at least two people for no real reason.

She slumped her shoulders and sighed in defeat. She realized she had no idea what she was doing.

“Look Rey, you came in pretty hot last night. Jannah and I were talking and we think it may be best that you sit out the next few meetings. You know, until you cool down.”

“I am cool!”

“No, you’re really not.” Finn grabbed both her hands and forced her to turn back towards him. “You’ve been through a lot recently. I’m willing to bet even more than you let on. I have no idea what went on in Exegol but I know it must have been pretty intense. Palpatine’s gone, Kylo’s gone and I know It’s because of you.”

“It’s not because of me.”

“It is! You are the only one who came back, the Empire is gone and what is left of the First Order is now in peace negotiations. The Republic is being rebuilt, in large part because of you.”

“I had a lot of help.”

“From who? Ren?”

Rey didn’t answer and Finn dropped her hands.

“All I’m saying is that you’ve had a trauma, and you need to take time to process. Believe me, I know how hard adjusting to a more normal life can be.”

“I can’t have a normal life Finn. It’s not who I am.”

“Sure, it is! Or, it can be if you want it enough. And when you are ready, maybe…uh… you and I could build one together. I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. We make a good team.”

“Finn…”

As if anticipating her discomfort Finn put his hands, palms up, in the air. “Nothing needs to be decided today. Just something I wanted you to think about. You know, for some time in the future. Maybe?”

“Maybe...”

“Great!” Finn beamed his brilliant smile at her as he stood. His warmth and enthusiasm were so infectious, Rey couldn’t help but smile back. “So, you should probably stay put for now. Jannah and I don’t need you scaring any more of our new recruits, yea?”

***

Whispers spoke to Rey as she walked the seemingly deserted halls of the Imperial Palace. Despite his earlier concern, Finn had decided to give Rey another assignment, though one in which she was not likely to get in much trouble. Jannah had heard reports of a group of troopers hiding out in the palace and she wanted to learn if there was any truth to the rumors. The building was enormous and Rey’s Force abilities coupled with her scavenger scruples would enable them to cover a lot of ground quickly and quietly. If there were troopers hiding out, Finn did not want to scare them away. Rey’s mandate was simple, scour the building, engage with no one, and report back any findings.

_“There is no emotion, there is peace.”_

Rey looked back at her security droid, dutifully trailing her every move. It gave no indication of hearing the words spoke so clearly to Rey. With the help of XP’s scanners, they had been canvassing the Palace for a little over an hour with little tangible evidence of habitation found. However, Rey couldn’t shake the feeling that she was walking over hallowed ground. It was a disconcerting feeling, particularly knowing that her grandfather once called this very building home. Around each corner shadows seemed to slip playfully away from her. She could feel laughter bubbling to her lips. Was she losing her mind? Maybe she should have remained in the infirmary. This building was having an odd effect on her.

_“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.”_

Rey paused in front of the entrance to a long and narrow two-story room. Moonlight streamed through the windows adorning the top of the far wall, casting beams of light into this once grand space. Rey could almost visualize row upon row of archival materials along with statues of long forgotten history adorning the corridors. This had once been a library of sorts, Rey was certain. She could feel a presence here – wise, empathetic, loyal. The essence was a comfort but also jarring as Rey was well aware of the former purpose of this storied building. What knowledge had been stored here? Could there have been anything stored in these vast archives that would help further her understanding of herself and her personal history? Somehow, she thought so and Rey couldn’t help but feel sad for the loss.

_“There is no passion or chaos, there is serenity and harmony.”_

Rey almost laughed aloud. She had her fill of passion. Only here, alone in this vast space could Rey admit the swirling desire that characterized her connection with Kylo Ren. His appearances were at first frightening and intrusive. Then, surprisingly, their interactions turned seductive when she first realized that Kylo was the only person to have ever understood her. With him she could share her darkest thoughts, without judgement. Longing to be closer to him soon followed and Rey convinced herself that she alone could turn Kylo back towards the light. The blind hatred she felt towards him only rose when she realized how foolish she had been to think she could save him from himself. The dark side had control of Kylo, never would Ben Solo emerge. Rey nearly ended his life on the ruins of the Death Star. How powerful she felt, striking at the corrupted heart of her very own dark partner. In some ways, she felt she was striking at the darkness within herself, so angry at being revealed to be a Palpatine. She preferred Kylo’s first explanation. That her parents were drunk nobodies who abandoned her on a hopeless planet. Funny how that truth was now vastly preferable to her true origins.

_“There is no death, there is the Force.”_

Rey collapsed to the ground and screamed in pain. Her agonized voice echoed back at her, growing weaker with each reverberation. The tears that Rey had held back for so long came flooding forward. There was so much pain and loss in her life – her parents, her surrogate family, and a potential life partner in Ben Solo. She had been granted one divine moment with him before he was brutally snatched away from her. The best Rey could do was watch helplessly and then pretend none of it mattered. While the galaxy celebrated the death of Kylo Ren, Rey privately mourned the tragic loss of Ben Solo. The pain was immeasurable. For the first time in her life, Rey wondered if it would have been better if she died on Jakku like so many other orphans before her. At least she would have been spared this pain. For all her abilities, Rey would have traded them in an instant to not be so alone.

“Alone, never have you been.”

Startled, Rey looked up. All around her round her long defunct fountains sprung to life. The room glowed with dusky sunlight. Rey could hear the sound of running footsteps and see children laughing and chasing training remotes. Scenes flashed before her eyes. Various forms of Jedi - younglings, padawans, Knights and even a few Masters – had once used and honored this space. Rey could feel their presence though they didn’t interact with her. She was experiencing an especially vivid Force-Back, one that filled her with awe and wonder, and momentarily helped heal her aching heart. Here was a place she felt only she could have belonged. Only, like just about everything else that was good and pure in her life, this place had been destroyed. It only now existed in memories.

“Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future, the past. Old friends long gone.”

Rey turned and found a small goblin-like creature with a wrinkled yet kind face, pointy ears and three fingers on each hand. He glowed blue, like Anakin, Luke and Leia had before him. She had seen him before, in dreams. His voice was one she knew; she had heard it back on Exegol but also in earlier days. It was the voice of an imaginary childhood friend who spoke to her in her most lonely moments. Only now did she realize who this voice belonged to.

“Master Yoda!”

“Young Rey. Does my heart good to see you here, in this place.”

“Where exactly am I Master? I thought this was the Imperial Palace.”

“Reach out with your feelings Rey. Not true, you know this is.”

Rey closed her eyes and forced herself to settle within herself. Her breading slowed, became rhythmic. More images filtered through her mind. Thousands of years of Jedi history, and before that something more ancient and elemental. The Force itself resided here. Long dormant, resting somewhere in the deep underground of Coruscant.

“This is a place of the Force and once a Jedi Temple.”

“What do you feel?”

“Very little. Dormancy. Inactivity. I see visions from the past clearly but they are not associated with any emotions. More like a hologram.”

“Good, good. Once roamed these halls, fear and anger did. Gone they seem.”

“Gone,” Rey nodded sadly. “Like everything else, except me.”

Yoda nodded astutely. “The Jedi path is not an easy one. Abandon it, if you must.”

“What do you mean? Abandon the Jedi? Can I do that?”

“Your own, your life is. Make of it what you will.”

“Is that way you are here? To tell me to forget the Jedi?”

Yoda chucked a bit and shook his head. “A choice you have, Rey. One only you can make. A Jedi you are, but others before you have walked away. This too you can do, if you choose.”

The mere suggestion of abandoning the Jedi path shocked Rey. “I’ve never once considered that.”

“Consider you should. Does not have to belong to you, the burden of rebuilding the Jedi.”

“Who if not me?”

“The Force will find a way. Earned a simple and content life you have Rey. Choose it if you so desire.”

“Let go of the Force? I’m not sure I can do that. It’s a part of who I am.”

“The Force will always be with you, Rey. But a Jedi you do not have to be.”

“What if I don’t know what I want?”

“Search your feelings, answers you will find.”

An alarm sounded loudly and Yoda disappeared. Rey whipped around to find XP-9357 advancing toward her.

“Please remain where you are. The Resistance has issued an order for your apprehension. You are to be brought before Commander Dameron for questioning.”

“What? Why?” Rey knew her approach during Finn and Jannah’s mission was aggressive but an arrest seemed a bit excessive.

“Your blood has been matched to that of a known war criminal. You are to turn yourself in immediately, Rey Palpatine.”


End file.
